New Queensland Reds assistant Peter Hewat is hopeful Tom Lynagh and new recruit Izaia Perese will feature during next month's Super Rugby AUS competition.
It's a major double boost for the team, with the competition their first taste of life without new Wallabies boss Les Kiss.
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Lynagh has barely featured throughout 2026 as the young playmaker continues to deal with injury.
The 23-year-old has only managed 18 minutes of action, coming off the bench against the Hurricanes in round seven of Super Rugby Pacific.
But the domestic competition looms as the prime chance to make his case for a Test recall alongside new signing Perese.
Perese returns to Australia alongside Hewat after their stint with English side Leicester, with Hewat eager to get started at the Reds with the talented backs.
"They should be fit and ready to go hopefully for that competition so looking to really blend not only the youth but some experienced players as well," Hewat said.
"I've been on the grass for a couple of weeks now and working with the young guys here, it's been really impressive."
Hewat made his name with the NSW Waratahs as a player, returning to Australia after spending close to two decades overseas in England and Japan.
"I'm really, really happy to be back. When the opportunity arose, speaking with both Vern [Cotter, head coach] and Sam [Cordingley, Reds GM of High Performance], it's something I jumped at," he said.
"I can see stability both on and off the field here, and it's something that really attracted me to come back to Queensland.
"We've got 17 Wallabies at the moment, but what else impressed me coming back was just our young crop of players we've got here. I was really excited to come back and work with the more experienced, but also those younger kids that are coming through. There's a really good group of players here."
The former Black Rams Tokyo head coach is eager to build his skills under incoming head coach Cotter, who is out to continue his reputation of bringing titles to clubs.
"He's won competitions all over the world. Obviously more recently he's won with the Blues, with Super Rugby, so he knows what success looks like; he knows what it takes to get there," Hewat said on Cotter.
"I'm really looking forward to working with him and learning from him and taking this team to another level."
