McCarthy has battled a niggling hamstring injury through the preseason but was fit enough to initially be selected for the Dragons trial against Wynnum- Manly on Saturday.

"He's a big character amongst the team, not only in stature but also how fun and vibrant he is. Everyone is really sad for him," McCarthy told NRL.com.

"We were all so excited to see what he was going to do this year. To lose him is a pretty big blow for us. 

"When you see how hard he was training, it's probably the best condition he's been in for a long time, and that's a credit to him. It's just unfortunate that he had to suffer what he did."

McCarthy will be looking to press his claims for a spot in the Dragons round one lineup at the tournament.

"I want to perform and put my best foot forward with round one approaching.”