OLYMPIC recruit Jacob Pepper appears poised to return from a calf injury, but will undergo a fitness test before determining whether he faces back-to-back opponents New Lambton midweek or Sunday.
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Pepper has been sidelined for three matches and, in terms of his comeback, Olympic coach Paul DeVitis was weighing up Tuesday night's Australia Cup knockout tie or the next round of Northern NSW men's NPL.
"Light session tonight [Monday] to determine best way to proceed," DeVitis told the Newcastle Herald.
Both fixtures are scheduled for Darling Street Oval.
"It was an important step for us. The longer you go without that sort of win, doesn't give you much confidence. Once you get that monkey off the back it certainly lifts the group and gets them up for the next challenge," Eagles coach Shane Pryce said.
Australia Cup continues on Wednesday with Edgeworth visiting Stockton and Charlestown hosting Mayfield United. Adamstown are due to meet Cessnock on May 8.
Broadmeadow, Cooks Hill, Lambton, Maitland and Valentine Eleebana all progressed to round five by posting wins last week while Lake Macquarie eliminated Weston with a 2-1 result.
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
