Matt Scott hasn't featured for the Cowboys since rupturing his ACL in round 2, but the 32-year-old prop looks to be in contention for a shock return in the grand final next weekend against the Storm.
MORE: Will Scott, Thurston play in the NRL grand final?
Though he didn't take part in North Queensland's 29-16 win over the Roosters on Saturday night, Scott is reportedly fit to play should Cowboys coach Paul Green call upon him next weekend.
But while the club veteran would no doubt be desperate to play and in turn bring much needed experience to the North Queensland side, Broncos great Darren Lockyer thinks it wouldn't be right to select him considering how well his replacements have done as the Cowboys made their unexpected charge to the decider.
"The 17 guys that have played there last night, they've done a wonderful effort to get to the grand final," Lockyer said on Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show.
"And as much as Matt Scott's done for the club... I just think it would be the wrong decision to allow Matt to play in the grand final.
"It comes back to the chemistry with the current team and I think to break that up is very risky."
Despite recovering quicker than expected from his ACL injury, the reality is that Scott hasn't played a full game of rugby league in over 200 days with Andrew Johns also of the belief the Cowboys co-captain probably shouldn't be picked due to a lack of match fitness.
"He hasn’t tackled anyone for six months," Johns said.
"Look at Darius Boyd, he thought he was right to go.
"You can't replace that game speed and intensity."
One Cowboy who won't be playing in the grand final is Johnathan Thurston who seemed to back his co-captain's chances of making a comeback after they sealed a spot in the decider.
"He’s fit to play," Thurston told Channel Nine.
"He had his boots and was going to warm up.
"If one of the boys had of broke down then certainly he would have been a chance.
"It’s a big decision for the coaching staff to make. He’s a leader of our club."
Scott started his career with the Cowboys in 2004 and was part of the premiership-winning side in the 2015 grand final against the Broncos.
