David Klemmer is trying not to listen to NSW teammate Angus Crichton, when it comes to the treatment of his right middle finger.
Klemmer dislocated his finger in a game against South Sydney in April (ironically it happened in a tackle with Crichton), and has had pain-killing injections every game since, just to be able to play.
Crichton, who removed his middle finger before the season began after learning it would not fully repair, has advised Klemmer to do the same, although the 24-year-old would rather just wait until season's end before getting it fixed.
"It's frustrating because you don't realise how much you use your hands every day," Klemmer told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"I just have to put up with it ... needle it before every game to take the pain away.
"I did in the Good Friday game actually, tackling Angus.
"It popped out straight away. I popped it back in, but it still wasn't right. I needled it at half-time but it hasn't come good.
"I have a right-hand carry, so every time I hit it, it hurts. I'll wait until the end of the season and get it cleaned out and hopefully straightened.
"He keeps telling me to cut the thing off.
"He told me what happened to him. Hopefully it doesn't come to that and I can keep mine. It's mind-boggling what he did. He's a tough bugger."
Crichton only learned of Klemmer's injury during the Origin I camp, and said he hoped Klemmer could find a way to keep his finger.
"His finger is pretty mangled at the moment and hopefully he can get it right and hang on to it – you don't want to be cutting limbs off," Crichton said.
"It's pretty ironic he did it tackling me. [Busted] fingers can become a massive annoyance and quite painful. Mine was sore catching, clapping, I even couldn't turn on a light switch.
"I've got to know Klem and he's a real team dude. He's been good for us younger boys."