St George Illawarra have received a timely boost with coach Paul McGregor confident Tyson Frizell will be fit to face Newcastle on Sunday after overcoming a lacerated testicle.
Frizell will train with the Dragons again on Saturday and is expected to head to Newcastle provided he gets through the session without issue.
Named on an extended bench by the Dragons earlier this week, Frizell hasn’t played since requiring surgery after he collided with Jordan Kahu’s knee in round one.
“Tyson is a real good chance of playing,” McGregor said on Friday.
“I can’t say he is a definite starter just yet. I will have to see him at training tomorrow. He’s got to get through our captain’s run.
“Tyson won’t be at any risk if he takes the football field or we won’t play him. It’s early in the year, he’s our most decorated player. We don’t want to put him out there and put him at any risk.”
The Dragons’ middle and the flow-on effect on their bench from the absences of Frizell, Korbin Sims and Jack de Belin have been seen as a key issues in their slow start to the season.
A typical edge player for the Dragons, Frizell was moved to lock to cover for de Belin in round one, leaving Blake Lawrie to start at No.13 and Jacob Host at second row for the past weeks.
“Tyson is a player that can play in both positions, so it certainly strengthens our football team and is a good in if he does play,” McGregor said.
“Because the quality of the person, the experience of the person and the positions he can play, which is back row and middle. He’s played them at the highest level.”
The boost comes after captain Gareth Widdop’s shoulder reconstruction was also considered a success, with the Dragons confident he’ll return to the field again this year before moving to England.
“He won’t be too far from everything that happens this year. He’ll be highly involved in and around training and the coaching side,” McGregor said.
“He’ll be ready when he’s ready when he does come back, and that will be a real boost for the football team at an important time.”
