GARETH Ellis will have a scan today which will give Hull FC a clear indication of when he will be ready to return to action.
The Black and Whites' marquee signing is yet to make his Super League debut after breaking his foot in the warm-up ahead of the season opener at Leeds.
It has seen him spend the past nine weeks on the sidelines, but with his protective boot now off, Ellis has started light training at Hull as he edges closer to a much-anticipated competitive debut.
Running once again, Ellis is yet to have a reaction to his training, but with the player set to step up the intensity further this week, the club are sending the second-row for a scan which should determine the date of his comeback.
"Gareth has ramped his training right up, but we'll get a better idea of where he is when we see the scans, but it is looking very positive," coach Peter Gentle told the Mail.
"Gareth is going for a scan tomorrow and hopefully we will then be told where the finishing line is for him in his rehab.
"We won't get ahead of ourselves and the scans may say he is one week or six weeks away, we just don't know until the scan.
"So we will wait and see and hopefully we'll know a date later this week."
Initial predictions suggested Ellis should be ready to return to face London Broncos at the start of May.
Facing Salford away on Saturday, and then a cup clash with North Wales the following week, he could make his return a week early at home to Wigan on April 26.
That would be a boost for Hull given fellow experienced second row Ben Galea is out for the next five weeks with a dislocated thumb.
Danny Tickle is also facing a possible lay-off after hobbling off in the victory over Catalan last weekend.
