Cameron King is set to end a 733-day wait for an NRL recall when he answers Parramatta's hooking crisis in Thursday's clash against Canterbury.
Following season-ending injuries to Kaysa Pritchard (ACL) and Isaac De Gois (concussion), Eels coach Brad Arthur is expected to name King in the No.9 jumper to take on the Bulldogs.
It will be the first time King will appear in the NRL since a stint with North Queensland almost exactly two years ago, and his first run-on start since playing for St George Illawarra in 2013.
Eels players were disappointed to lose the popular Pritchard for the year, but backed King to step up in what is likely to be an emotional return to the top grade at ANZ Stadium.
"He's a massive loss, Kaysa. He hasn't in the past been given that opportunity to play 80 minutes, and he just got comfortable with that role," forward Kenny Edwards said on Monday.
"Cam Kingy, he's been in reserve grade for about six to 18 months now, so he deserves his crack and hopefully he can take it with two hands."
Despite being frozen out last year due to the Eels' well-publicised salary cap issues, King opted to re-sign with the club last summer in the hope of one more crack.
He has suffered major shoulder, chest and knee injuries in the past three years.
"Credit to him - he's had a couple of serious injuries so he's bounced back and look forward to seeing him there," prop Nathan Brown said.
Star centre Michael Jennings described King as a "calm" hooker, which is a far cry to Pritchard's kamikaze-like style that has often garnered praise from his teammates.
"It's not good for Kaysa, but for Kingy it's good he gets his opportunity and all the boys are confident he'll get the job done," he said.
Utility Will Smith - who came off the bench to fill the hooking void in the Eels' last-start win over the Dragons - is likely to be King's back-up against the Bulldogs.
"Kaysa Pritchard at the start of the year was struggling to get out the 80 minutes. So I put my hand up to be the person that could come off the bench and support him," Smith said.
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