Dugan faces fitness test for opener

JOSH Dugan will put the state of NSW before his own personal ambition as a crucial fitness test looms on his damaged cheekbone.

The NSW Origin centre plans to put any fears his fractured cheekbone is an issue to the test today during an intense training session with the Blues squad in camp Kingscliff.

Dugan’s club St George Illawarra have advised the NSWRL coaching staff that the strike weapon should avoid all contact drills until 24 hours before Origin I.

Despite suffering the injury during the second half of the Anzac Test less than three weeks ago, Dugan has told Blues officials he is confident of proving he is 100 per cent fit well before the Origin opener next Wednesday.

Should Dugan be forced to withdraw from Origin I it would prove a bitter blow having been forced to pull out just four days before Origin I last year, with an elbow injury.

NSW winger Brett Morris used last year’s sudden injury exit from Origin camp as an indication of Dugan’s ‘team first’ mentality.

“We’ve seen from Duges, he’s a pretty tough character and he wouldn’t have come here if he didn’t think he was capable of playing,’’ Morris said.