Australia fight off injury and illness to power over New Zealand in Four Nations final

INJURIES and illness dogged Australia in the lead up to the Four Nations final but the Kangaroos overcame the pain in their domination of New Zealand.

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BOYD Cordner lost 3kg during the week while Tyson Frizell struggled to move a day before kick-off.

The Kangaroos’ demolition of the Kiwis was made even more remarkable by the injury and sickness scare which threatened to derail their Four Nations aspirations.

Cordner was laid low by a stomach bug and barley trained during the week. He shed weight but managed to score the Kangaroos last try.

Frizell feared his Four Nations aspirations was over when a long-term back injury flared up.

Had the duo withdrawn, the Kangaroos would have been forced to field a makeshift forward pack with Manly rookie Jake Trbojevic the only fit forward, with Sam Thaiday missing with a fractured eye socket.

Frizell has been troubled by a back injury for several years.

Josh Mansour’s busted knee meant the Kangaroos were down to 22 players.

Frizell hurt his back in the second last Kangaroos training and was forced to skip the captain’s run the day before the game.

“I was a bit concerned,” Frizell said of the injury. “It seized up on me out of nowhere after recovery.

“It was a bit unexpected. I was very stiff and difficult to move around and do your normal actions.

“Lucky enough it was a couple of days out from the game. I had time to rest it. It settled down this morning. Lucky I was able to get through the game fine, like normal.

“It was after our second last training session before the game.

Boyd Cordner celebrates scoring his team's sixth try during the Four Nations Final.

“After it gave me trouble. It locked up on me. I knew how to look after it because I’ve had it happen before. Lucky enough it was three days out from the game.

“Mal (Meninga) and the staff looked after me. I had treatment whenever I needed it. Mal gave me time off to be able to play the game. Thankfully enough I was able to pull through.”

Frizell needed career saving back surgery heading into this year.

The injury had become so severe he struggled to walk and had reservations his NRL career could continue.

“I could walk this time,” Frizell said. “It wasn’t as bad as I had it before. I haven’t had any trouble with my back since surgery.

“I knew what had to be done. It’s hard to explain. I It was all good come today.