Ankle could keep Merrin from Origin III

Trent Merrin is hoping an ankle injury won't keep him out of Origin III. Source: Matt Roberts / Getty Images

DRAGONS forward Trent Merrin is hopeful an ankle injury won't keep him out of State of Origin III after rising from a half-time challenge by his coach Paul McGregor to lead St George Illawarra to 19-18 victory at the Gold Coast.

The Blues forward was one of the experienced players personally challenged by McGregor at half-time and duly delivered by scoring the 60th-minute try with some quick footwork to beat an attempted tackle by new Titans halfback Daniel Mortimer.

But Merrin's day ended with his next possession, limping to the sidelines with a right ankle injury and leaving Cbus Super Stadium in a moon boot ahead of MRI scans in Wollongong on Monday.

Trent Merrin left the ground on crutches with his ankle iced. Source: News Corp Australia

Merrin insisted he would do all in his power to be ready for Origin III on July 9 as the Blues chase a series whitewash.

"I will be getting scans [on Monday], the ankle is a bit sore," Merrin told the Courier Mail.

"I will be doing everything possible to be there for game three."

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Merrin said he needed to lift in the second half after McGregor issued a personal challenge to him to help carry the team home four days after he helped NSW claim the State of Origin series.

"It's great to be challenged like that from your head coach," he said.

"I knew I had a job to do for the boys, hopefully I done that in the second half before the injury occurred."

Merrin doesn't want to miss Origin II, despite it being a dead rubber. Source: News Corp Australia

Merrin's injury overshadowed a promising win for the Dragons who had the match in their keeping with a Gareth Widdop field goal in the 72nd minute before a Titans try in the 79th minute offered the Gold Coast 69 seconds to snatch the game.

There were plenty of mistakes from both sides in a scrappy game that makes it hard to think either team will challenge for the finals this year.

Josh Dugan continued his promising switch to centre, scoring a classy first half try that McGregor rated few players in the NRL capable of executing, while Benji Marshall was again hit or miss at halfback.

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McGregor said his team had plenty of fight left in them this year and they will need to get on a roll now with three home games in succession starting with Melbourne in Wollongong on Monday.

"The spirit never left, we just had to fix up a few things," McGregor said.

"These guys have got a lot of belief, the amount of times they've been kicked or pushed or talked about at the end of the day it's a little bit embarrassing I think.

"We just needed to improve in a few areas and I think we are seeing that now."

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