The Dragons star hasn’t played a game since leaving the field with a fractured cheekbone in Australia’s 30-12 Test victory over New Zealand.

He will take the field less than a month after undergoing surgery to insert a plate in his cheekbone that was fractured in a head clash with club teammate Russell Packer.

He was expected to miss four to six weeks but Blues coach Laurie Daley’s reluctance to carry players under an injury cloud deep into camp saw Dugan declare himself fit on Thursday.

“Yeah, 100 per cent [I’ll play],” Dugan, who took part in his first contact session on Wednesday, said.

''I'm confident in it. I spoke to the staff before I came in here and to the surgeon as well and he was fully confident too so that puts my mind at ease. There was a plate put in so that makes it a bit stronger as well.”

Dugan has played seven of 11 games for the Dragons this season having also suffered a hamstring injury in his side’s round five victory over Wests Tigers, forcing him to sit out two club matches.

He conceded it will make him a target for Maroons in game one but allayed fears concerning his overall match fitness. 

“Everyon’s fair game so I'm sure I'll be fair game. That's Origin,” Dugan said.

'”For me, I'm not too worried about my fitness.

“Because it was my face I could run every day, I was still doing fitness, I was still up and down off the deck.

“The only thing I didn't do was have a ball in my hand. I did a little bit on lefts and rights and built up on that today, just keep building it over the week.”

Berkeley product Jack Bird had been preparing to replace Dugan at right centre should injury have forced his withdrawal, but will now play a utility role from the bench.

Confirmation that Dugan will play came on the same day that Queensland five-eighth Jonathan Thurston ruled himself out with a shoulder injury, meaning Anthony Milford will make his Origin debut.

With AAP