St George Illawarra are set to recall Josh Dugan for their do-or-die NRL clash with Canterbury this weekend.
Coach Paul McGregor said the Australian and NSW outside back had paid his penance after being dropped for their clash with Penrith after missing the team bus.
McGregor initially refused to comment when asked if Dugan would return to face the Bulldogs on Sunday, a match which will decide if they finish in the top-eight.
However he later told Fox Sports the 27-year-old had served his time.
"He's done his punishment now; he's missed a game of footy," McGregor said.
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"He'll be hurting pretty hard in there, letting the players down. He's a world-class player, isn't he?"
Former Newcastle premiership winner Matthew Johns implored McGregor to stick with the same team that upset Penrith 16-14 at Pepper Stadium on Sunday.
Dugan was dropped after missing the team bus from St George Leagues Club to Pepper Stadium with McGregor drawing a line in the sand after consulting senior players.
Dugan apologised to teammates in the sheds following the game.
On Monday News Corp reported that Dugan had missed the team plane home from Brisbane a week earlier.
However, McGregor insisted Sunday's incident was his first offence.
With Dugan dropped, the Dragons were forced into a late reshuffle bringing Josh McCrone into the halves and shifting Kurt Mann to the centres.
But it seems injury may also factor in Dugan's recall.
McCrone said he was under an injury cloud for the Bulldogs because of hamstring injuries in both legs, which had plagued him for several months and forced him to miss training the past fortnight.
"They're both sore," McCrone said.
"It's something I've been managing for two or three months and it's progressively getting worse and worse."
