MACQUARIE coach Matt Roach hopes Callan Briggs can bring an "X-factor" when returning to the Newcastle Rugby League ranks.
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Having served out a suspension from another competition, mid-year signing Briggs is now free to play this weekend as the Scorpions look to keep alive their finals bid for 2023.
Briggs looks likely to line up against Wests at Lyall Peacock Field on Saturday, nine months after running out for Macquarie in a Newcastle RL grand final.
During the off-season he linked with NRL franchise St George Illawarra, named in the NSW Cup squad for Charity Shield in Mudgee in February, but had mainly been playing first grade for local side Collegians.
Roach says centre Briggs relocated home and joined back up with his junior club, training over recent weeks at Toronto and waiting for a three-match ban to elapse.
"He's available now if we opt to go that way this weekend," Roach told the Newcastle Herald on Monday.
"He's just got that X-factor about him, very good on his feet and very good ball skills. Offers that little bit of unknown in attack, creating something out of nothing. He's come back as fit as I've seen him as well."
Briggs arrives following four straight losses for the Scorpions, compounded by major injury setbacks to Joe Woodbury, Jordan Noble and Luke Higgins.
Eighth-placed Macquarie (12 points) host seventh-placed Wests (13), separated on the ladder by the narrowest of margins and five rounds remaining in the top-five race.
"We pretty much need to win every game and depend on other results, so mathematically we're obviously still a chance but we can't continue to drop games," Roach said.
The Entrance (16) sit fifth and Central (14) sixth while Wests dominated ninth-ranked Lakes (10) 42-4 on Sunday.
It's been a busy mid-season market for Newcastle RL clubs with Briggs the latest in a long line of player movement prior to Friday's (June 30) transfer deadline.
Last week Mitch Cullen joined Maitland from Kurri Kurri. Elsewhere the Northern Hawks recently signed Tyrone Nean and Scott Briggs, Cessnock picked up Kurt Aldridge, Brad Russell and Jayden Young, Wests collected Liam Wiscombe, Luke Walsh and Ngangarra Barker in quick succession while earlier this year Central and Lakes welcomed back Justin Worley and James Johnson respectively.
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