Queensland Origin winger Matt Sing is scheduled to make his comeback from a broken jaw in North Queensland's round 26 NRL clash with Cronulla in Townsville.

Sing will travel to Sydney next Thursday to have the plate removed from his jaw, which he broke in last month's Origin decider at Telstra Stadium.

Cowboys football manager Peter Parr on Wednesday night said it was unlikely Sing would be thrown into the fray if the side was out of finals contention by early September.

The Cowboys are sitting in seventh spot on the ladder on 23 points, one above Wests Tigers, and face South Sydney in Townsville on Saturday night.

North Queensland has been impressive in the face of a lengthy injury list which includes Sing, halfback Chris Sheppard and forwards Kevin Campion and Glenn Morrison.

Sheppard will undergo season-ending ankle surgery in Sydney on Thursday.

Cowboys forward Jamie McDonald won't require surgery on his injured shoulder following a bicycle accident and has been pencilled in to return against the Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium in round 25.

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