Sebastian Kris is closing in on a round one return from suspension for the Canberra Raiders.
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The Raiders have applied to have the NRL All Stars game included as the fifth-and-final game of the ban he received for a spear tackle in the final round of the 2023 regular season.
It's now in the hands of NRL judiciary chair Geoff Bellew as to whether Kris can count the game to finish his suspension.
Kris has a letter of support from the Indigenous All Stars team confirming he would be picked for the clash against the Maori All Stars at Townsville on February 16.
Further backing up Kris's claim is the fact he was picked for last year's game, only for a shoulder injury to rule him out before the team was officially announced.
Despite having made his Test debut for New Zealand, Kris is eligible for the Indigenous All Stars through his father's family - which hails from Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait.
The NRL originally had him listed as eligible for the Maori All Stars as well - his mother was born in New Zealand - but he doesn't have any Maori heritage.
Kris has missed the Raiders' elimination final loss to Newcastle last year, as well as the Kiwis' three Tests in their victorious Pacific Championships campaign.
Bellew has already ticked off on those three Tests counting, which means if he does the same with the All Stars game Kris will be available for Canberra's round-one revenge mission against the Knights in Newcastle on March 7.
It would be a massive boost for the Green Machine, who will already be without Queensland lock Corey Horsburgh due to suspension.
Horsburgh was controversially banned for a shoulder charge and won't be available until round three against the New Zealand Warriors in Christchurch.
Kris's experience will be invaluable in what's shaping as an inexperienced backline - especially in the key posts of fullback and five-eighth.
The 24-year-old is an option to play fullback - along with Chevy Stewart, Xavier Savage and Jordan Rapana - but he could also partner fellow Kiwi Matt Timoko in the centres.
Stewart is yet to make his NRL debut, while Savage has played just 23 first grade games.
It's a similar story in the halves, with Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange locked in a pre-season battle to replace Jack Wighton in the No.6 jersey.
Strange has just one NRL cap, while Weekes played 12 games for Manly before moving to Canberra in the off-season.
That makes Kris's relative experience - 65 NRL games and one Test for New Zealand - important as the Raiders look to hit the ground running.
Raiders chief executive Don Furner said they could find out whether Kris was available in the coming days.
"[Football manager Matt Ford] has applied for that and we're waiting to hear back," Furner told The Canberra Times.
"They'll get back to us, but we've got time [before round one] obviously.
"I imagine we'll know by the end of the week or early next week."
Horsburgh said their trials against Parramatta and the North Queensland Cowboys would determine who would get the nod in those crucial roles.
Weekes appears to be the front-runner for the No.6 jersey, while Stewart is very highly-rated at Raiders HQ.
But Horsburgh didn't know who would be picked come round one.
"We're still at that point where we're trialling combinations and it's hard without seeing footy," he said.
"But you've obviously got 'Rapa', Chevy - there's been a fair few people going at the back.
"Jamal [Fogarty] will be our seven and then you've got a lot of young fellas fighting for that six jersey, too.
"We'll get a gauge of that around trial time and whoever stands up and puts their foot forward will get that jersey.
"It's exciting for the club and hopefully someone stands up and claims that six."