Most players are playing through niggling injuries at this stage of the NRL season, but there wouldn't be many feeling it as much as St George Illawarra star Tyson Frizell.
The Dragons forward is one of a number of players coach Paul McGregor is hoping to call on in this week's vital clash with Gold Coast, including Josh Dugan and Russell Packer.
Dugan succumbed to an ankle injury early in Friday's loss to South Sydney, while Packer (knee) and Euan Aitken (hamstring) both missed the game that left the Dragons out of the top eight.
Scans on Monday cleared Dugan of any serious damage to his ankle, with club medico Nathan Pickworth declaring the first-choice fullback a chance to play on Saturday.
"He's got some damage to his lateral ligaments. We're fortunate those ligaments can settle quickly so we'll see how he goes through the week and give him every chance to play," he said.
Frizell failed to finish the match against the Rabbitohs after aggravating an ankle injury he suffered against Manly three weeks ago.
The setback comes on top of a fractured finger from their previous match against the Titans in round 12, and a rib injury he has been carrying for the past two months.
Frizell admitted to taking painkillers for the rib cartilage issue every week since.
"Yeah, I get a couple of needles every game. But that's alright. It's making me able to play and get through weekend games," Frizell told AAP on Monday.
"It's just tough to get on the training paddock, not as much as I'd like. I've been looked after through training and making sure I'm able to prepare as well as I can so that I can play."
Frizell is adamant the health issues haven't affected his form and his performances back it up.
The 25-year-old almost single-handedly kept the Dragons in the game against the Rabbitohs when he came off the bench to help change a 12-6 deficit to an 18-12 halftime advantage.
"It's fine going into games, it's just about controlling your training loads so you're able to put in a performance. I don't think that's been affecting my performances on the field," he said.
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