Cronulla are confident of having prop Andrew Fifita for their must-win semi-final as he races against the clock to recover from a calf tear.
Fifita will be available for selection next week for the first time in seven weeks after serving a club suspension for a run-in with a referee at a Penrith junior league match in July.
The former NSW prop was in a moon boot as he watched on from the Remondis Stadium sideline as his side blew a chance to claim a top four spot in their 14-12 loss to Manly on Sunday.
Fifita suffered the peculiar injury at training on Thursday but he's expected to be fit to take on South Sydney at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
What made the injury unique is that the muscle he tore only exists in a small percentage of the population.
Gold Coast Titans prop Dave Taylor suffered a similar injury last year.
"Medical reports are that (Fifita) will be okay," Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said.
"He tore a muscle in his calf that only 15 per cent of the population have, one of those caveman muscles that some of us have and some of us don't.
"He tore it, but you don't need it, you can get by without it."
Fifita's go-forward and big body will be highly valued by the Sharks as they face an elimination play-off against a big Rabbitohs pack and Flanagan said he expected him to be available for the side's first training session this week.
"The boot is one of those things, they put you in a boot these days straight away," Flanagan said.
"He should be out of the boot tomorrow and start his running."
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