Bulldogs linchpin Brett Kimmorley has spoken of the pain involved in his brave bid to be part of the NRL side's finals campaign after suffering multiple facial fractures.

The NSW No.7 suffered three depressed fractures of his right cheekbone in the round 25 win over the Warriors and was initially told he faced a three-month recovery period.

But he remains confident a revised four-week timeframe on the sidelines will have him playing in week three of the playoffs.

Kimmorley will see a specialist on Friday to check on his progress, but returned to the training paddock on Wednesday for some light exercise.

"Last week I stayed at home and didn't want to leave the house and as I started to feel a bit better and started to look a bit better, (I've) come back to training and start doing some stuff," he said.

"I've got my head back a little bit, I think most of the swelling's gone now, I'm starting to get a little bit of feeling back in my cheek and lip.

"The redness in the eye will stay for a few months but I physically feel a lot better.

"I'm off the pain-killers now which is good so I'm sort of getting my bearings back a bit.

"... I had a steak the other night which was quite enjoyable but it's probably cut up the same size as my two-year-old's."

Kimmorley's on-target recovery means the Bulldogs have an extra incentive to earn a week off with a qualifying final win over Newcastle on Saturday night.

A loss at ANZ Stadium would have the Dogs facing the agonising decision of whether to rush their chief playmaker back for a sudden-death showdown in week two.

"It's not in the plan, I haven't thought that far ahead," coach Kevin Moore said.

"We're just focusing on getting through to this week and whatever happens out of this weekend we'll deal with after it."

Kimmorley is banking on the extra week's recovery time.

"I'm confident in the ability of our team to be able to win on Saturday night and I'll be able to sit down for two weeks and have a good recovery and get ready to play," he said.

"That would be the four-week mark, that would be perfect if that could happen."

Kimmorley ruled out wearing an NBA-style protective face mask, saying he didn't consider the right side of his face a weak spot.

"The plates that I got inserted make it as strong as my other side so ... it would take a hit very similar to what occurred (two) weeks ago to break it again," he said.

"I certainly hope I don't get my head in a position that way again, I watch it back and I've got no idea what I was thinking."

The Bulldogs stumbled badly without Kimmorley last Friday night, thrashed 34-12 by the Wests Tigers and surrendering the minor premiership with Daniel Holdsworth in the No.7 jersey.

Holdsworth has been named as Kimmorley's replacement again for Saturday.

"He's the best halfback we've got in the club at the moment and we need to understand for him to play well we've all got to play well," Kimmorley said.

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