WESTS coach Rick Stone says former NRL playmaker Ryan Stig appears poised to return to the Newcastle Rugby League ranks at some stage in 2023.
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Stone reckons Stig has trained well over the pre-season but may not line-up in Sunday's opening-round clash against newcomers the Northern Hawks at Tomaree Sports Complex.
The pair recently reunited at the Rosellas, having previously crossed paths at the Knights. Stone was head coach when Stig, now 33, made his NRL debut in 2011.
"He [Stig] hasn't played for a while but he trained through the off-season to get himself in a position to see whether he'd play or not," Stone told the Newcastle Herald.
"It looks like he's going to have a bit of a crack, but we're not sure if he's going to play this weekend. He's had a little knee injury, meniscus, which put him back a bit."
Stone says Stig could partner Max Buderus in the halves with Sam Keenan not taking the field this year.
Opponents the Hawks, approaching their maiden first-grade game, look set to be missing former NRL player Tyler Randell (knee).
Meanwhile, Newcastle representative hooker Luke Huth has taken an early guilty plea and will be available to play for the Rebels in the NSW Country Championships final against Riverina at Woy Woy on Saturday (2pm).
Huth was hit with a grade-one contrary-conduct charge on Monday after being sent off in Newcastle's semi win on the weekend.
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