One down, two to go.
Sydney Roosters forward Boyd Cordner is set to make his season debut in Monday's ANZAC Day NRL clash with St George Illawarra, provided he comes through unscathed from this week's training.
He will be the first of three of the club's biggest stars to come back over the next few weeks, with sacked captain Mitchell Pearce's ban to finish this week, and Jared Warea-Hargreaves also nearing a return.
The trio will be a sorely-needed injection of star power for the battling Roosters, who are last on the NRL ladder with just one win almost a third of the way through the season.
Making it back for the traditional blockbuster against the Dragons was always Cordner's target, but he insisted he didn't want to risk further injury with an early return.
"It's close now, so if I just miss out, then I know I'll be sweet the next week. But I'm really confident that I'll be right for Monday," Cordner told AAP.
"Obviously I have to get through a full week of training and a couple of fitness tests first before that happens. If I'm not right to play, I won't. But if I'm right, I will."
Cordner also left the door open for Warea-Hargreaves to return this week, but he is considered less likely to do so.
"I'm not sure when he's back. He could be this week or next week," Cordner said.
Should Cordner return on Monday, the 23-year-old will have four games to impress NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley and keep his Blues jumper ahead of the series-opener on June 1.
"I'd love to be there again, but I just can't wait to get back out and start playing good footy for the Roosters," he said.
"That's what my priority is at the moment. Turning our season around and trying to make a run for the back end of the season."
Seven debutants - equal most in the league this year with Newcastle - have been blooded by coach Trent Robinson, who has led the Roosters to the past three minor premierships.
Despite the team's poor start to the year, Cordner said the playing group remained confident of making a climb into the top half of the ladder in the second half of the campaign.
"The way we've started the season, it's not ideal, but it's a challenge now for us. We're looking forward to it," he said.
"Obviously over the last few years, we've been up around the top of the ladder, so this is new to us. We're confident in our group and our coaching staff that if we keep working hard, we'll go alright."
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