The smile on Chad O'Donnell's face said it all at Maitland Pickers training on Tuesday night.
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The infectious beam quickly spread across his teammates, coaching and support staff - the five-eighth is confident he will be fit for the Pickers' historic grand final against Glebe Burwood at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday.
It was the sign everyone had been waiting to see since O'Donnell limped from the ground assisted by trainers in the dying minutes of Saturday's elimination semi-final against Hills Bulls.
Initial fears were he had suffered a season-ending ACL injury, but back in the rooms the doctor cleared him of ACL damage and subsequent scans have revealed a medial strain and a good chance to play on Sunday.
"There's a bit of a hill to climb but I'm fairly confident as it is only a medial strain. The swelling will need to come down in the next few days, which has started, and then playing through the pain and getting the job done," he said.
Pickers coach Matt Lantry said he was hopeful of having O'Donnell back on Sunday, but there were still some hurdles to pass.
Lantry said O'Donnell would be given every chance to prove his fitness, however, there were options to cover for him if he can't get through.
O'Donnell said the injury had revealed to him just how close the team had become.
"I had a message by 10 o'clock Sunday morning from nearly everyone of my teammates and everyone of the coaching staff," he said.
"It just symbolises what we've got this year. It feels like a tight-knit family. I've never had an injury like this, but I've never seen a response like that. It just shows how much support we have for each other."
It's that bond and willingness to work for each other which O'Donnell believes will carry the day on Sunday and deliver Maitland their first premiership since the 2010-11 back-to-back titles.
"Matty (Lantry) always reinforces defence and fitness will get you there and your attack comes off the back of it," O'Donnell said.
"The game against Dubbo when we defended six sets in a row and turned them away really defined us.
"Your backs are against the wall and you are tired but you know you can trust the person inside and outside you will get their job done."