Port Macquarie Sharks coach David Geary is confident second-rower Chris Piper will behave himself in Sunday's Group 3 rugby league clash with Forster-Tuncurry.
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Piper is set to return from a nine-week suspension as the Sharks look to cement their spot in the top two ahead of a much-needed break next weekend.
"I can guarantee he'll be well-behaved," Geary told the Port News.
"He was pretty dirty he did that to himself and the team so he's been counting down the weeks, days and he's even been joking about counting down the hours."
Backrow partner Scott Grant is a strong chance of returning from a finger injury he suffered back in May.
"He's been out since about the Wauchope game; he cut his finger open, broke it and snapped tendons so he's been out for a while," Geary said.
The return of Piper and Grant will result in more competition for spots particularly in the forwards for the Sharks as they close in on the finals.
"What we tried to instill from pre-season is the competition for spots, but it hasn't happened too much with the injuries across all grades," Geary said.
"But the players filling in and playing first grade have deserved their spots for sure."
Teenager Joe Lewis is set to make his run-on debut at five-eighth with Cuban Piper (ankle) out for at least two weeks.
The Hawks have won just two games from nine starts, but Geary remained cautious.
"We're treating it week by week and any team can be brilliant and any team can be poor on any given week so we need to make sure we're having a good week," he said.
First grade kicks off at 2.30pm at Lank Bain Sporting Complex.
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