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Dugan: I'm almost back to my best

Roar Guru
18th April, 2014
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St George Illawarra fullback Josh Dugan admits he’s at least two or three games from hitting his best form following his return from a knee injury.

The former Canberra star is yet to be on the winning side since recovering from the medial ligament problem that sidelined him for the opening five rounds of the campaign.

Although the Dragons lost to South Sydney in Dugan’s first game back they were much improved in their controversial defeat to Melbourne last Monday.

Dugan struggled in the first half at AAMI Park and made a huge mistake that led to a Will Chambers try when he misjudged a bouncing ball.

But after halftime he showed in patches just why NSW coach Laurie Daley rates him so highly as the Dragons were cruelly denied a first win in the Victorian capital in 15 years when the Storm scored after the fulltime siren.

“The body is still a bit sore, which is to be expected, but it will get easier as time goes on,” Dugan said.

“It will probably take at least two weeks to get used to playing again and for the body to get used to not being sore.

“It’s very much a week by week thing. I am just doing the little things in my rehab to get right. But I feel I am getting back to my best.”

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The Dragons must put their anger about the manner of their loss behind them for the visit of the Warriors to Kogarah Oval on Saturday.

The Auckland-based outfit have a roster dripping with attacking intent in the form of Shaun Johnson, Manu Vatuvei and Sam Tomkins.

However, they have had a less that stellar start to the season with coach Matt Elliott shown the door following a 37-6 humiliation by lowly Cronulla and his assistant Andrew McFadden handed the reins until the end of the season.

That result was one of four losses so far this year including a 31-12 defeat to the Dragons at Eden Park in round two.

Dragons New Zealand international winger Jason Nightingale is well aware of how good the Warriors can be and said with a Test match against Australia taking place next month he needs a big game.

“I don’t think that last game will have too much bearing on this one,” Nightingale said.

“I am sure they’ll be up for it with a new coach in place.”

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