Charlie Ngatai will end a torrid 12 months off the park after being selected for the Chiefs' round 11 clash against the Reds in New Plymouth.
Come game time, it will be almost a year to the day since Ngatai suffered a head injury against the Highlanders with the 26-year-old suffering constant severe concussion symptoms in the 12 months since.
He will partner All Black Anton Lienert-Brown in the centres outside Aaron Cruden with Damian McKenzie lining up at the back.
The Chiefs will also welcome another player on the long-term injury list with All Black Nathan Harris coming off the bench after suffering a knee injury in August.
Elsewhere on the park, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Brodie Retallick will return to the starting line-up with the latter rested for last week's match against the Sunwolves.
Chiefs team to face the Reds
1. Kane Hames 2. Hika Elliot 3. Nepo Laulala 4. Dominic Bird 5. Brodie Retallick 6. Mitchell Brown 7. Sam Cane (captain) 8. Michael Leitch 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow 10. Aaron Cruden (co-captain) 11. James Lowe 12. Charlie Ngatai 13. Anton Lienert-Brown 14. Toni Pulu 15. Damian McKenzie
Reserves
16. Nathan Harris 17. Atu Moli 18. Siegfried Fisi’ihoi 19. Taleni Seu 20. Liam Messam 21. Jonathan Taumateine 22. Sam McNicol 23. Shaun Stevenson
Newshub.