TOM ROCKLIFF is on the verge of making a remarkable recovery from fractured ribs and a punctured lung, and lining up against West Coast at the Gabba on Sunday.
If Rockliff successfully completes Thursday afternoon's main training session, he will resume his place as the Brisbane Lions' skipper to play the Eagles.
Rockliff suffered fractured ribs and a punctured lung in round one against Collingwood and was originally expected to miss up to six weeks.
"He is a chance," coach Justin Leppitsch said. "We'll wait for training today, but let's hope so.
"He has to be able to do all the movements in the game. If he can do all those, he'll more than likely wear a brace so the impact won't be an issue, then we've ticked all the boxes.
"We just have to get through training."
The 25-year-old will likely be selected in a 25-man squad and be assessed in the coming days.
Despite the 0-3 season start and criticism of his team's leadership following last week's loss against Richmond, Leppitsch said Rockliff would not be rushed back if he wasn't 100 per cent.
"Tom will only come back if he's fit to play. It doesn’t bother me if we're 0-18 ... we're only playing fit players," he said.
"It (playing before he's fit) can only make him worse and make his rehab longer."
This season is starting out remarkably similar to the last one, with the Lions not only struggling for form, but also being decimated by injuries.
Just three rounds in, they have 13 players on the injury list (including Rockliff), of which arguably seven are starting 22 players.
Leppitsch said despite the setbacks, he and the players were confident of turning things around quickly.
"If we win this week, it drip feeds some confidence into the group and we can regain our season - it's only very early," he said.
"We won our first game on Anzac Day last year (against St Kilda in Wellington) if you remember. Maybe it's destiny again?"
