Lambton Jaffas boss Shane Pryce is confident key attacker Ben Hay will be fit for Sunday's NPL men's grand final against Maitland despite coming from the field in the preliminary final with a knee problem.
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Hay scored the Jaffas' 20th minute opener in the 2-1 win over Broadmeadow on Sunday at Magic Park but was replaced in the 56th minute.
The matchwinner also scored a week earlier in the 2-0 victory over Newcastle Olympic but got through 87 minutes in that game.
He had his right knee heavily strapped for Sunday's grand final qualifier but appeared to move relatively freely before making way for Kai Bradley in the central role up front.
Pryce had no concerns about Hay backing up for the championship clash at No.2 Sportsground.
"He aggravated a bit of a knee problem," Pryce said. "It's just a bit of care there and a bit of management, but that's about it. He'll be right to start next week."
Hay came off the bench early in the second half of the premiership-deciding last-round 3-1 loss to Maitland on September 4.
A member of Lambton's 2017 grand final-winning team, Hay looms as a crucial part of the Jaffas attack, between speedsters Kale Bradbery and James Virgili.
Left-back Luke Remington, man of the match in the 2017 decider, and right-back Finn Parris came off in the 83rd minute on Sunday but Pryce had no worries about the pair. Parris was battling cramp late and Remington has come back from a hamstring problem to play the past two games.
"Remo has obviously been a bit tight and I don't think Finn has played 90 minutes the whole season," Pryce said. "But the boys who came on kept the ball rolling."
Parris was the only change to the starting side on Sunday, coming in for Alex Hilton, who then replaced him late. Parris was part of a stellar defensive effort from Lambton, who held out Magic until the 90th minute.
"He's not a right-back," Pryce said. "But he had a really good game so I'm happy with that."
Andrew Pawiak missed the win over Olympic with an ankle injury but he came off the bench on Sunday and finished the match.
If his squad come through this week unscathed, Pryce will have almost a full roster available. The experienced Bren Hammel returns from a two-match ban, while Michael Kantarovski is back after attending the buck's party of injured teammate Matt Hoole in Queensland on the weekend.
First-choice right-back Hoole is the only loss for Lambton after tearing his groin in the 2-1 loss to Magic in week one of the finals. Despite the absence of the experienced defender, Jaffas have kept two clean sheets.
Pryce, though, knew stopping the Magpies, with Braedyn Crowley and James Thompson combining for a remarkable 42 goals this year, was a massive challenge.
"Maitland are obviously the best team in the comp, they are on fire," he said.
"If they get 10 or 12 chances, they are going to take a third of them because they are very clinical, so we're going to have to be at our best."
Maitland are sweating on the fitness of Thompson, who injured his ankle at training and missed the 4-1 win over Broadmeadow in the major semi-final.
Both teams are free of suspensions for the first-grade decider.
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