James Maloney is no certainty to run out for Penrith on Friday night against Brisbane as the five-eighth battles to recover from a foot and toe injury.
Maloney required scans after last Wednesday's final State of Origin clash, which revealed a minor sprain.
He was rested from last week's loss to Cronulla alongside fellow Blues stars Nathan Cleary and Tyrone Peachey, and was named to play on Tuesday but is yet to be officially cleared.
"I'm not sure whether James Maloney is going to play this week," Penrith general manager Phil Gould told the Six Tackles with Gus Podcast.
"He's still got that toe injury and he hasn't trained as yet."
The Friday clash shapes as a crucial one for the fifth-placed Panthers, who are part of a four-team logjam of sides all on 24 points between fourth and seventh.
They remain just two points behind second-placed Melbourne, but only two ahead of the Broncos in eighth.
The Panthers have been on the Gold Coast for a mini-camp before the match, but have received good news with winger Josh Mansour considered a certainty to play on return from a serious facial injury.
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