Dugan is in the early stages of recovery from neck surgery after carrying the injury through the entire 2015 season that included a Test debut and a gruelling Origin series for NSW.

It put to bed any lingering questions about his durability but Dugan said he was risking far more serious damage had he pushed it through another season.

‘‘It was always there and I could always feel it,’’ Dugan said.

‘‘It really hurt at times but it was annoying more than anything.

‘‘I’d get a knock on it and I’d lose all feeling in my shoulder and for weeks afterwards I’d still have numbness in my fingers.

‘‘It wasn’t as simple as just getting a needle or strapping it it was just something I had to deal with at the time.

‘‘I had a constant ache in my neck and shoulder all year and it got to the point where it was unbearable.

‘‘I didn’t want to go into next year the same way I did this year and it probably would have gotten worse.’’

Dugan underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on nerves in his neck and shoulder two weeks ago, a procedure coach Paul McGregor underwent himself in November last year.

‘‘Three of my vertebrae were jammed up and pushing on the discs and the nerves were getting jammed up as well,” Dugan said.

‘‘I had two of my vertebrae shaved to clear a path for the nerves to get through cleanly and I can already notice the difference.

‘‘Speaking to the neurosurgeon I’m glad I had surgery because if I’d let it go down the track any further we were talking a disc replacement and that sort of thing so I’m glad we got on top of it early.

‘‘Mary actually had the same surgery earlier on the year and he was telling me how bad it is but I’m two weeks post-op now and it’s better than I expected.”

The neck injury was just one of the niggles the 25-year-old had to deal with in 2015 with knee, hip and ankle injuries also taking a toll on his body in what he described as the most physically demanding campaign of his NRL career.

‘It was probably the biggest physical toll I’ve ever had to deal with,’’ he said.

‘‘I played the whole series of Origin and I played the Anzac Test as well. 

‘‘Those extra four games really do add up towards the back end of the year and I was feeling it a bit.

‘‘I’m getting physio two-three times a week now so I’m already on top of it.

‘‘I’ll be training next week in the altitude room to try get back as much fitness and strength as I can, getting right into rehab and doing all I can to make sure I’m back 100 per cent after Christmas.”