George Bailey will miss Tasmania's final Sheffield Shield roster match but Tigers coach Adam Griffith doesn't believe the veteran has been seen in whites for the last time.
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The 36-year-old has been out of action since dislocating his shoulder in the Hurricanes' BBL semi-final loss to Melbourne Stars five weeks ago, and is out of contract at the end of the season.
Griffith said he would meet with the former Australian captain this week to nut out a plan for next season.
"Dislocated shoulders take some time but it's more the soreness and the pain he's still experiencing," Griffith said.
"It was always going to be a battle to get him back for the last game - unfortunately he's missed out on that but his rehab's going really well and hopefully we'll see him back at training pretty soon.
"In the Hurricanes space he is [contracted], with the Tigers he comes off his contract but we'll sit down with him.
"I'll have breakfast with him one day this week and have a chat to him about where he's at and how he's going but at this stage there's been no indication of him wanting to stop playing."
The Tigers have made two changes to the side that narrowly lost to Western Australia last round, with all-rounder Simon Milenko and paceman Hamish Kingston called up into the 13-man squad.
Alex Pyecroft (knee soreness) has again dropped out of the side.
The Tigers enter Thursday's home clash with New South Wales a slim chance of making finals, but would need bonus points and the results of other matches to go their way.
"We haven't spoken about finals at all," Griffith said.
"We knew last week was our big chance to get ourselves back up in the hunt there so we're just focusing on winning the contest.
"If an opportunity arises for us at some stage through the game and the other results fall our way then we'll have a look at it but we're just looking to win the game."
Matthew Wade enters the match just 21 runs shy of the competition's leading run-scorer Marcus Harris (943 runs) and needs just 78 to reach 1000 Shield runs for the season.
New South Wales needs a victory to ensure it holds onto second spot, while Victoria has already sewn up top spot and hosting rights for the final which starts March 28.