Knights NRLW coach Ronald Griffiths says injured halfback Jesse Southwell will be "ready to roll" for Sunday's do-or-die semi-final clash with the Broncos.
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Southwell suffered a bad cork in the side's 28-8 victory over Wests Tigers last Thursday.
The dynamic No.7 left the field in the 26th minute after taking contact to her upper left leg and played no further part in the game.
Without her, Newcastle went on to claim a seventh consecutive victory - and the NRLW minor premiership - to secure a final at McDonald Jones Stadium for the first time.
Griffiths said immediately after the game it only looked like a cork but that Southwell would be sent for "precautionary scans".
In an update on Tuesday, he said the scans had proven just that and the 18-year-old would play in the 2.05pm match.
"All good, ready to roll," Griffiths said.
"No issue, just a really bad cork. It will just be managing her through the week now."
Southwell was named in Newcastle's starting side for the semi-final.
The 2022 Dally M rookie of the year, her inclusion will be a major boost for the side against a resurgent Broncos, who have stormed into the finals winning their past four games.
![Jesse Southwell. Picture by Marina Neil Jesse Southwell. Picture by Marina Neil](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/be0962cf-3acc-493d-ac73-d88cc564c08a.jpg/r0_0_2817_2360_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Griffiths confirmed winger Sheridan Gallagher is in doubt after suffering a grade-one MCL strain late in last week's game.
"We'll let the week play out with her. We won't know until captain's run," he said.
"She ended up getting through the game, there was only a few minutes left."
Gallagher took over the goal-kicking duties against the Tigers after Southwell went off and has proven one of the great pick-ups this season. The former Young Matildas captain, who walked away from playing in the A-League Women to give rugby league a go this year, has played all nine games for the Knights and scored six tries.
Meanwhile, Rima Butler could be set for a shock return after being named in an extended match squad.
The barnstorming prop injured her thumb and required surgery last month, but is now a chance of featuring in the semi-final.
In the other key team change, Georgia Roche has been named at five-eighth after being a late withdrawal last week.
Caitlin Moran, who replaced Roche against the Tigers, drops out of the side.
Sunday's match is the first final Newcastle has hosted since joining the NRLW for the 2021 competition.
Last season, when they won the premiership, they played their semi-final at a neutral venue as part of a double-header.
That had been the governing body's policy up until a change announced midway through this season.
The Knights beat Brisbane 22-20 back in round five at the same venue after centre Shanice Parker scored a try three minutes before full-time. Southwell converted to win the match.
Knights starting side
1 Tamika Upton
2 Sheridan Gallagher
3 Shanice Parker
4 Abigail Roache
5 Jasmin Strange
6 Georgia Roche
7 Jesse Southwell
8 Tayla Predebon
9 Olivia Higgins
10 Caitlan Johnston
11 Laishon Albert-Jones
12 Yasmin Clydsdale
13 Hannah Southwell (c)
Interchange bench
14 Nita Maynard
15 Tiana Davison
16 Kayla Romaniuk
17 Jacinta Carter
Extended match squad
18 Felila Kia
19 Tamerah Leati
20 Rima Butler
21 Caitlin Moran
22 Jayde Herdegen