Retiring Canterbury winger Sam Perrett has a fight on his hands to get back on the NRL field before he hangs up his boots at season's end.
The 31-year-old is battling a nerve problem in his neck which coach Des Hasler admits is worrying him and the club medical staff.
After missing last week's loss to Brisbane, Perrett will sit out Thursday's clash with North Queensland and Hasler can't guarantee he will return before season's end.
"It's an ongoing issue for us, we're really concerned at the moment," he said on Wednesday morning.
"It's more neurological and we'll just monitor it week to week."
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Perrett will bring down the curtain on his 13-year career at the conclusion of the Dogs' 2016 campaign and what's fuelling the club's hope that he hasn't played his last game is their ability to go deep into the finals.
With two rounds remaining and in fourth spot, their season could go well into September and even October.
While treatment had so far been frustrating, Hasler said there was still plenty of reason to be optimistic.
"We've still got two weeks, we've got time," he said.
"We're working on it daily and it's something we're pretty sure we can come to terms with."
Considered one of the gentlemen of the game, Perrett has played 255 NRL games since debuting for the Sydney Roosters in 2004 and has 21 Tests caps for New Zealand.
He played in the 2010 grand final for the Roosters and the 2012 and 2014 deciders for the Bulldogs but has not won a premiership.
