Martin’s playing through injury pain

COWBOYS five-eighth Te Maire Martin has quashed concerns over his toughness, revealing he has been playing with a knee injury that could have ended his season.

Martin will be near full fitness for the first time in a month for tomorrow’s elimination final at ANZ Stadium.

In North Queensland’s Round 22 clash against Melbourne, Martin tore medial ligament in his knee.

Yet the Kiwis half missed just one game and has strapped his knee for the past four matches after realising the injury-ravaged Cowboys needed all hands on deck.

Martin, 21, left Penrith earlier this season amid concerns over his toughness and willingness to put his body on the line. With Johnathan Thurston (shoulder) out for the season, Martin said he simply had to push through the pain and prove himself at the Cowboys.

“(The knee) was a bit loose so I had a week off to try to get it to scar itself back on and I was able to strap it to hold it together after that,” he said.

“You’re meant to have five or six weeks off when you do it. The physio said some people can play through it and some can’t. I was lucky.”