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Penrith second-rower Liam Martin will be available for the NRL finals after scans cleared him of a serious ankle injury.

Penrith second-rower Liam Martin could line up as soon as Thursday night after scans cleared him of a serious ankle injury.

Martin's season appeared in doubt when he landed awkwardly on his ankle in the second half of the Panthers' loss to Melbourne on Thursday.

The State of Origin representative played no further part in the game and wore a moon boot post-match.

The Panthers initially suspected a long-term injury and were bracing for the possibility of making a run at consecutive premierships without their first-choice right second-rower.

But Martin has since been cleared of serious damage and was able to run 100 metre sprints unassisted at training on Sunday.

Club officials on Monday told AAP that Martin was now a possibility for Thursday night's match against in-form South Sydney, but that he still had a slight limp and remained in some doubt.

Dylan Edwards, who missed the 16-0 loss to the Storm with a sternum injury, has a chance of returning for the game after training at fullback on Sunday.

Winger Taylan May is likely to need at least another week to recover from a shoulder injury but is no longer wearing a sling.

Elsewhere, Cronulla prop Toby Rudolf is set to miss the first week of the finals after suffering an MCL tear against Wests Tigers in Tamworth on Saturday evening.

Rudolf landed awkwardly midway through the second half and played no further part in the game. The Sharks confirmed on Monday afternoon he would miss four weeks of football.

Royce Hunt and Braden Hamlin-Uele appear the most likely to start in the front row in his absence.