The word patience has become synonymous with the Dragons' style of football, but it's also a characteristic that Greenfield has been forced to develop.

The talented forward played just 24 games in four seasons at South Sydney, and when it looked like he had finally overcome his problems, the Rabbitohs showed him the door.

"There was no room there for me," he said.

"The opportunity arose to come here and I ended up taking the chance and it's worked out pretty well."

But since arriving in Wayne's world, Greenfield has had very limited opportunity, playing less than 25 minutes in six of his seven matches in the red V.

Injuries to Dan Hunt, Jeremy Smith and Dean Young, as well as the absence of several Dragons players on Origin duty, provided Greenfield with a chance to finally cement himself as a first grade footballer.

Although his patience would again be tested, as a hamstring injury suffered at training sidelined the Ingleburn junior ahead of the round 15 derby against Cronulla.

After proving his fitness against the Panthers last week, Greenfield is preparing for what could be the most important match of his short career.

With Smith set to return from injury this week and Michael Weyman three weeks away from serving out his suspension, Friday night's clash against his former club will be one of Greenfield's last chances to snare a bench position ahead of the run into the finals - if chosen by Wayne Bennett when he names his team this afternoon.