Brisbane Broncos enforcer Pat Carrigan has been cleared to travel for the World Club Challenge after it was revealed he played through a broken thumb during the club's drought-breaking premiership campaign.
Carrigan carried the injury throughout the Broncos finals run, keeping the issue under wraps as the Broncos snapped a 19-year NRL title drought with their grand final triumph over Melbourne.
The Maroons forward was spotted wearing a wrist brace during the off-season, prompting questions around his fitness, but it has since emerged the damage occurred earlier in the year.
The injury was suffered in Brisbane's Round 24 win over the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium, where Carrigan was advised surgery would rule him out for the remainder of the season with an estimated eight-week recovery.
Instead, the 28-year-old opted to push on.
He played through the pain for the next three months, featuring in Brisbane's fairytale finals run before backing up for the Kangaroos on the end-of-year tour.
Carrigan eventually underwent surgery upon returning to Australia following the national side's 3-nil Ashes whitewash of England and has been managed carefully since.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire confirmed Carrigan has since had a second procedure but will be fit to take on Super League champions Hull KR in England on February 20.
“He's fine, he'll be back in full training soon and he actually trained the other day,” Maguire told the Daily Telegraph.
“They had to take the wire out, but he's good to go and he'll be back up and about soon.
“He's had a good little break.”
