The Chiefs could be given a timely boost by three returning All Blacks for next week's clash against Melbourne Rebels, with Brad Weber, Brodie Retallick and Josh Ioane all in the frame to come back from injury.
Chiefs co-captain Weber, 31, hasn't played since his side's 45-12 victory over Moana Pasifika last month after injuring his arm.
All Blacks lock Retallick, 30, has missed his side's last eight matches after suffering a broken thumb against the Crusaders in March.
Meanwhile, one-cap All Black Ioane has been out of action since the start of April, after picking up a rib concern in the Chiefs' victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington.
But after being forced to get by without several All Blacks, with Anton Lienert-Brown also ruled out for the rest of the Super Rugby season, coach Clayton McMillan can breathe a sigh of relief thanks to the return of the three players.
"Definitely Josh and Brad, [there] should be no issues around them," McMillan said after Saturday's loss to the Brumbies.
"Brodie's just got to have a scan. If he gets the all-clear from the surgeon then he could feature.
"Otherwise it might be the following week."
The returns come with the Chiefs sitting in fourth place on the Super Rugby Pacific table - ahead of the Waratahs on points differential and one point ahead of the Reds.
Finishing in the top four would afford the Chiefs a home quarter-final once Super Rugby Pacific enters its finals series.
The Chiefs finish their season away to the Rebels next week, at home to Western Force on May 21, and against Fijian Drua in Fiji as the final match of the round-robin.
