Hard-running St George Illawarra second-rower Ben Creagh has backed team-mate Matt Cooper to beat his latest injury setback and rediscover the form which made him one of the premier centres in the NRL.
Battling a hamstring tear, Cooper is facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday night's Charity Shield against South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.
It follows a long struggle with a foot problem which hampered his performances last season.
Full coverage of the Dragons At their combined best, Creagh, Cooper and the NRL's 2009 top try scorer Brett Morris are among the most lethal forces in the competition.
Cooper represented the NRL All Stars team earlier this month, but his road to recovery has been halted by the leg problem which kept him out of Saturday's Mercury Challenge against the Bulldogs.
Creagh brushed aside suggestions 30-year-old Cooper's injury woes will prevent him finding his best this year.
"It was a tough season last year for Coops, (his heel) gave him problems for the majority of the season," he said.
"He did his best to comeback for most games, but sometimes you could tell he was struggling.
"I know he's got a hammy problem, but those kind of injuries happen this time of year.
"With all the running we do in December and January, we're getting flogged this time of year, so you often have little niggles.
"But (when fit) he'll be a big bonus not just for my side of the field, but for the whole team.
"When he's on his game he's still one of the best centres in the comp."
Creagh has his own injury woes, aggravating an old ankle injury and playing just 15 minutes of Saturday night's 16-14 victory over the Bulldogs at WIN Stadium.
The 25-year-old said it was not a significant concern.
"I stirred it up a bit," Creagh said of the ankle injury sustained on Saturday.
"I only lasted the 15 minutes and I would have liked to have played a full half.
"But it's only minor."
With the clock ticking on the start to the NRL season against Parramatta on March 12, Creagh denied his biggest goal was to retain his Origin jersey.
The rangy forward said he was just focused on helping the dangerous left-side trio of himself, Morris and Cooper fire for the Dragons.
"(Origin) is in the back of you mind, but you don't want to base your season on trying to make an Origin side," he said.
"You just want to play your best consistent footy with your club. If you train hard and play well, you give yourself the best chance to play in those sides and hopefully I can do that."
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