Josh Flook's pending return and Harry Wilson's strong injury comeback have sweetened the taste of another gutting Queensland Reds loss.
The hosts were beaten 31-27 by the Hurricanes at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, some moments of brilliance not enough in a 10th-straight defeat to the Wellington side since 2013.
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It meant they jumped the Reds into fourth spot with one Super Rugby Pacific round remaining, Les Kiss's side to host Fijian Drua in Brisbane next Saturday.
They could still sneak back into fourth place with a win and Hurricanes loss next week, with that spot crucial in a new six-team finals format that means the highest-ranked loser still progresses to the final four.
Incumbent Wallabies captain Wilson played 80 minutes in his return from a fractured arm, charging hard and defending stoutly in positive signs ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour that begins next month.
The Reds have slid from first spot, with a 2-4 record since Wilson's injury in a loss to the Chiefs.
They'll face either the Crusaders, ACT Brumbies or the Chiefs in the first week of finals, depending on final-round results.
Test centre Flook should feature, the 23-year-old potentially back to face the Drua next week after a hamstring injury suffered in the third round.
Influential backrower Seru Uru could join him, but Matt Faessler and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto won't despite the pair running well in their rehabilitation sessions last week.
Kiss also confirmed fellow backrower and one-time Test captain Liam Wright had surgery on his troublesome shoulder that's again plagued him this season.
Flook's blend of toughness and silky skill would be a timely addition but he could find it hard to crack the side, given the emergence of Dre Pakeho alongside Hunter Paisami - and the versatile Filipo Daugunu - this season.
The Reds haven't beaten any of the sides in the top four this year, captain Tate McDermott again ruing costly errors with the game on the line on Friday.
Knock-ons from Wilson and Paisami when they led by one point with 15 minutes remaining followed two late Hurricanes tries in the first half that blew the game open.
Friday's defeat followed a 10-point loss to the Brumbies in which the Reds dominated field position and possession but couldn't find the knock-out blow.
"Heaps of positives but there is a 10-minute period that's plagued us two weeks in a row now, just before halftime that really hurts us," McDermott said.
"It comes down to a lack of focus. It's not one thing. Missing tackles, out of position in the back-field, drop balls .... that's where the frustration comes from.
"We showed a huge amount of fight but ... we couldn't ice it and to their credit they got the ball back and they scored."
