Cherry-Evans left the Kangaroos camp on Monday night after his wife Vessa went into labour but has been receiving treatment from medical staff at Manly and was due return to Melbourne  before training on Thursday after the birth of his second daughter.

Before his sudden departure, the Sea Eagles playmaker had been making good progress in his bid to play and he was named at five-eighth in a team announced on Tuesday.

Kangaroos physiotherapist Tony Ayoub, who helped Billy Slater overcome a knee injury within two weeks to play in last year's World Cup final, said Cherry-Evans had been receiving treatment after being forced from the field before  half-time in last Saturday night's match.

"The treatment started straight after the game with myself and Steve Sartori, the other physio," Ayoub said. "He had two or three sessions that night and about four the next day, and improved out of sight.

"Before he left he was hopping, jumping and all of that sort of stuff, without any pain. Looking at him then, the anticipation was that he would train tomorrow to a certain degree and we would re-assess it, and then hopefully do a captain's run and have a proper fitness test there."

Hunt has been training at five-eighth this week but after previously having been on standby for Cherry-Evans in State of Origin, he is aware that he may not play but has to prepare as if he will.

"I think he's a big chance of playing," Hunt said. "He was feeling good at the start of the week and it was getting better and better so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

"It was the same sort of thing in Origin, he just came in the last day and was cleared to play. I will prepare like I am playing in the halves and if I get the chance to play I will be ready. I'm approaching it as if it's going to be one of the biggest games of my career."

Even if Cherry-Evans plays there is speculation that Australian coach Tim Sheens may use Hunt as an interchange utility in place of hooker Robbie Farah but he is also believed to be considering giant Canterbury prop David Klemmer on to the bench.

Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith, who has been mentoring Hunt along with Greg Bird and Cherry-Evans, said he would be happy to play the full 80 minutes at dummy half so Sheens could choose Hunt on the bench after being forced to play Farah at five-eighth for most of the match against the New Zealand.

"I'm hoping I'll still have a role," Hunt said. "I trained a little bit in the dummy-half role off the bench."

While Hunt admitted he gets nervous before big games, Brisbane teammate Sam Thaiday also backed him to perform well if given a chance and believes he has a big future with the Queensland and Australian teams.

"I would love to see him play," Thaiday said. "It is a must-win Test match and I know he can handle that pressure after the things he has done at the Broncos this year. He will really lift if he gets that opportunity.

"Ben will prepare as if he is playing. If not he will definitely get a shot against Samoa and I am sure he will keep Cooper and Cherry on their toes."