NRL: Quadruple blow for Dragons

Dragons centre Matt Cooper requires painkilling injections for the rest of the season. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Is this the first sign of a crack appearing in St George Illawarra's premiership march?

Riding a seven-game winning streak to lead the NRL competition by two games, the Dragons copped a quadruple blow yesterday as three players were charged with dangerous throws that could result in suspension.

Added to that news, former test centre Matt Cooper revealed he is struggling with an ongoing torn ligament in his heel and will require painkilling injections for the rest of 2009.

"I've torn the ligaments off my heel," said Cooper as he sat out training on Monday.

"It's pretty painful, and it's just annoying at the moment.

"It's pretty sore every time I run so I just have to take it easy.

"(I will) just needle it up and hope for the best."

Cooper is adamant he will not miss any NRL games with the injury, but the same can't be said for NSW prop Justin Poore, centre Beau Scott and second rower Matt Prior.

The trio were charged by the match review committee on Monday, with Poore facing up to three weeks suspension for his spear tackle that broke the nose of Penrith winger Shane Elford.

He can reduce the ban to two weeks with an early guilty plea.

Scott and Prior meanwhile were handed grade one charges, and face a one week suspension unless they successfully beat the charge at the NRL judiciary.

The potential loss of the in-form trio comes at a key time for the Dragons as they travel to Canberra to face bogey side the Raiders on Saturday night.

St George Illawarra have beaten Canberra just once in their past 10 clashes, with only two victories in eight trips to the nation's capital.

Cooper knows how important it is for the red and whites to keep marching strongly into the finals, more so for himself to keep playing and find form before the semis.

He played his first NRL game in a month against the Panthers last week and says his limited recent playing time is the reason he won't rest his injured foot and will persist playing in pain.

"(Resting) is something we have spoken about, the way it is now it's just get out there and play and worry about it two to three days after the game," said Cooper.

"I want to be at my best out on the field and the only way to do that is by playing and getting a few games under my belt.

"It's hard to come in and out of the game ... I need a bit of game time to get a bit of confidence.

"It's just one of those injuries I have to look after it after a game and let it recover. It's driving me nuts, especially wearing this boot."

The Dragons also face Brisbane, South Sydney and Parramatta over the closing weeks of the regular season and Cooper couldn't be happier with their final fortnight of fixtures to get them primed for the finals.

"It's good for us that we're playing the likes of Souths and Parramatta before the semis," he said.

"It will be a good test going into the semis because they have been in good form.

"It's chaos down there at the eight, I would hate to be there as a team.

"There is no pressure on us, we are doing what we are doing. The pressure is on the teams trying to get into the eight."

- AAP