Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic is hoping to finish out the season before going under the knife but winger Jorge Taufua may not last that long.
Trbojevic is playing through a syndesmosis injury that flared up in last week's heartbreaking – and season-ending – golden point loss to Canterbury but is "getting used to" playing through the discomfort, according to his older brother Jake.
However Taufua's surgeon has been suggesting the winger get a plate removed from his infected collarbone as soon as possible – though the blockbusting 24-year-old doesn't want to miss captain Jamie Lyon's farewell to Brookvale game in a fortnight's time.
"He's going to leave it until after the season," Jake said of Tom's ankle.
"He's been playing with it for a while so he's getting used to it.
"Obviously he had the option to see the season out so hopefully he gets to do that."
However Taufua's graphic injury is causing considerable discomfort, including releasing plenty of blood when he takes his bandages off after a game.
"I'm still on antibiotics every day," Taufua said.
"Every player has their injuries, we're all pretty courageous within our own teams [so we] just to do our best for each other and put our injuries on hold."
Taufua had hoped to play on so long as Manly were in finals contention but now that is no longer the case he may relent and get the plate – which was inserted on a fractured collarbone back in April – removed.
"My plan was just to keep playing as long as we're a chance for the finals. Obviously that's not going to happen so I'm looking in the next couple of weeks to get it done and looking forward to it… I just can't wait to get it out really," Taufua said.
"[The mobility] has actually improved, I'm actually pretty shocked how it's pulled up after games, especially when we finish playing," he added.
"That's kind of when it's at its worst, the blood comes out and the next couple of days it's pretty hard to raise [my arm] and do stuff but we've been working well with the rehab staff so I've maintained it so it's all good."
Taufua hopes that once the plate and screws are all out it fully heals so he can start looking forward to next year's pre-season.
"It's been pretty gruesome. I just have to do check-ups with the doc and surgeon. The surgeon kind of wanted me to pull the pin a few weeks ago but I wanted to keep playing for the club and for the boys," he said.
