St George Illawarra duo Josh Dugan and Trent Merrin will not play again in 2013, a blow which could leave the Dragons in danger of finishing with the wooden spoon.

Two of the joint-venture’s best players in a disappointing season, Dugan will undergo surgery on a broken thumb on Wednesday, while Merrin suffered a medial ligament injury in the 26-24 loss to Brisbane.

Merrin will not require surgery, but his four-week stint on the sidelines means he won’t be sighted again in the NRL this season.

The loss of the key duo could see the Dragons slide down the ladder.

With four games remaining, they are currently just two wins ahead of last-placed Parramatta, who bounced back to form last week with a win over Wests Tigers.