Most players are playing through niggling injuries at this stage of the NRL season, but there wouldn’t be many feeling it as much as St George Illawarra star Tyson Frizell.

The Dragons forward is one of a number of players coach Paul McGregor is hoping to call on in this week’s season-saving clash against Gold Coast, including Josh Dugan and Russell Packer.

Dugan succumbed to an ankle injury early in Friday’s loss to South Sydney, while Packer (knee) and Euan Aitken (hamstring) both missed the game that left the Dragons out of the top eight.

All three are battling to prove their fitness in time to take on the Titans on Saturday, with Frizell determined to play through the pain barrier to keep their finals dream alive.

The NSW State of Origin star failed to finish the match against the Rabbitohs after aggravating an ankle injury he suffered against Manly three weeks ago.

The setback comes on top of a fractured finger from their previous match against the Titans in round 12, and a rib injury he has been carrying for the past two months.

Frizell admitted to taking painkillers for the rib cartilage issue every week since.

“Yeah, I get a couple of needles every game. But that’s alright. It’s making me able to play and get through weekend games,” Frizell told AAP on Monday.

“It’s just tough to get on the training paddock, not as much as I’d like. I’ve been looked after through training and making sure I’m able to prepare as well as I can so that I can play.”

Frizell is adamant the health issues haven’t affected his form and his performances back it up.

The 25-year-old almost single-handedly kept the Dragons in the game against the Rabbitohs when he came off the bench to help change a 12-6 deficit to an 18-12 halftime advantage.

“It’s fine going into games, it’s just about controlling your training loads so you’re able to put in a performance. I don’t think that’s been affecting my performances on the field,” he said.

Frizell said a burning ambition to push the Dragons’ into September is the primary motivation to play through his injuries.

“I know what the group of players we have here, and believe we have something special, that we can put in a good performance in this competition,” he said.

“I just want to be a part of that. That’s what drives me to want to play every week and be a part of the squad so we do get those results we do want.”