The acu-pen is mightier than the sword - certainly when it comes to ensuring Canberra's most important calf muscle is ready for the rigours of an NRL preliminary final.
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Canberra Raiders fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is leaving no stone unturned to be fully recovered from severe cramps in time to face the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
Teammates Josh Papalii (ankle) and Jordan Rapana (sternum) both declared they'd be fit for the trip north, where just 80 minutes separates the Green Machine from another grand final appearance.
They both were hindered by the injuries in the win over the Sydney Roosters, but were able to play out the game.
So too was Nicoll-Klokstad in a marathon effort that saw him struggle through the second half with cramps.
He ran for a massive 253 metres and was everywhere in defence for the Raiders.
The Kiwi international got to work on his calf with an acupen on Sunday to help his recovery.
"It's meant to mimic the same thing acupuncture does. They've come up with a really good design and I really enjoyed it," Nicoll-Klokstad said.
"I really enjoyed using it [on Sunday]. I got a lot out of it. I'll probably go home and use it again."
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Rapana copped a stray knee to his sternum from Daniel Tupou and while he might need a pain-killing injection before the game he'll be right to face the Storm.
With Curtis Scott (leg) out for the season, Rapana has been covering an important role in the centres over the past month.
He'll team up with Nick Cotric to look to shutdown the Storm's dangerous left-edge duo of Justin Olam and Josh Addo-Carr.
"It's more of an annoying injury rather than anything serious. You can play through it, it's just a pain in the arse when you're sneezing and coughing and laughing," Rapana said.
"It's a bit painful, but oh well, just going to have to needle it up and tough it out.
"I got caught wrong by a big tall guy. It's what finals footy is about isn't it - always tough games."
Papalii got his ankle caught under Bondi's primest beef in Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Siosiua Taukeiaho as he scored the opening try of the semi-final victory over the Roosters.
The Raiders enforcer then hurt it again on his next hit-up, but after he got it strapped he was able to finish the game with 166m, six tackle busts and one linebreak in a dominant display.
He's crucial to Canberra's chances of getting past the Storm to make it to back-to-back grand finals.
The Raiders have won three of their past four games against Melbourne - with their one loss coming when they lost star hooker Josh Hodgson to a season-ending knee injury.
"All good. It just felt funny in the game, but I think that's just old injuries catching up," Papalii said.
"I think it was just Jared and Siua, they were just on the top of it as I scored that try. It just got caught under all the weight.
"The second run of mine in the first half I just felt it go a bit, strapped it up and iced after the game and over the weekend and I've pulled up fine. I'm moving well, which is pretty good."
NRL PRELIMINARY FINAL
Friday: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium, 7.50pm.