Ravenous for game time, Wycliff Palu has declared he wants to devour a full match and bring energy to the injury-ravaged NSW Waratahs in their must-win Super Rugby clash with the Highlanders on Saturday.

The hard-running Wallabies No.8 has played just a handful of matches this year due to three separate layoffs caused by hamstring issues.

He has missed the Waratahs' last five matches but will return to the side along with skipper and openside flanker Phil Waugh for the critical Sydney Football Stadium encounter.

Palu hasn't played a full game this season, but believes two solid weeks of running while the Waratahs were in South Africa have him primed to go the distance.

"My aim, if I start, is to try to play 80 and after getting two weeks of good running in, I feel like I can," Palu told reporters on Tuesday.

He admitted a little sheepishly he had yet to canvass the idea with Waratahs coach Chris Hickey, who was understandably a little more cautious.

"He's in really good shape but it's different to match fitness so it will be really a matter of just assessing him, how he's going," Hickey told reporters.

If he can perform for the 80 minutes, then we'll keep him there for 80 minutes, but first game back after a while off he may not go the 80 minutes.

Provided he avoids injury, Palu will play at least two Super games and possibly finals, before the Test season starts.

"All the boys are probably feeling they are fully into their season, but mine, to be honest, it doesn't even feel like mine has started yet, hopefully I'll get a couple of good games in," Palu said.

"Hopefully I can bring some energy and some enthusiasm to the boys.

"It's been pretty hard to watch considering you see a lot of the boys getting injured and you want to help.

"It's been hard to sit down and watch.

"Pretty much our finals start now."

Hickey may not finalise his team till the eve of the match, with three key players still to prove their fitness.

He will give Ben Mowen (ankle) till Thursday and prop Benn Robinson (ankle) and winger Lachie Turner (hamstring) till Friday.

"We're really only going to get two training sessions this week anyhow, so it's not as if those players are going to miss a lot of stuff, and they are all up to scratch in what we are doing," Hickey said.

"We are prepared to certainly wait till Friday. If it means we can get Benn Robinson and Lachie Turner on the park, then we'll take that ahead of game preparation."

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