Parramatta are set to get a pre-finals boost with key pair Beau Scott and Kaysa Pritchard likely to make their NRL returns from injury for Friday’s final-round clash against South Sydney.

Neither player has appeared since suffering what was initially diagnosed as season-ending injuries in June, but will get some crucial minutes under their belt against the Rabbitohs.

“We’ll get through training today and if everything goes to plan, we should get some time into them,” Arthur said prior to his team’s captain’s run on Thursday.

The inclusion of co-captain Scott would be an enormous lift for an Eels side lacking in big-match experience heading into next week’s finals.

Arthur believes the 2010 premiership-winner, whose season appeared over when he ruptured his bicep, would improve a defence that gave up 34 points in a win over Brisbane last week.

“It gives us experience that we probably don’t have and what he brings to the team in terms of just tightening up those defensive lapses,” Arthur said.

“He’ll be good for those periods where we take the foot off the pedal a little bit. He’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“If he plays tomorrow, we’ll give him a bit of time before halftime and after halftime.

“We don’t need to get too much game time into him. We just need him getting some run in his legs and make a couple of tackles, a couple of runs, and we’ll leave it at that.”

After starting at hooker for the team’s opening 15 games of the season, Pritchard is also certain to come off the bench on Friday and for their finals campaign.

Pritchard’s season also looked finished when he injured his PCL in his knee two months ago, but Arthur is intent on staying with back-up rake Cameron King through September.

“We know Kaysa was doing a good job before he got injured, but that’s footy. When someone goes down, it’s an opportunity for someone else and Cameron’s taken it,” Arthur said.

“Now we’ve got good depth there and it keeps everyone on their toes.”

Forward Nathan Brown, who claimed the club’s Ken Thornett medal as their player of the season on Monday, is also a certain starter despite failing to train this week due to a virus.

“He got the award on Monday night and he’s put the slippers on, hasn’t he. He was a bit crook, but he’ll be right,” Arthur said.