North Queensland have warned wounded Titans halfback Scott Prince he will receive no mercy if he defies expert medical opinion and plays at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.

Prince is giving serious consideration to playing for the Titans just six weeks after breaking his arm playing for Queensland in the third State of Origin game on July 2.

He had been told his injury requires a 12-week recovery.

But with Gold Coast's season on the line, Prince is tipped to play using a special protective cast on his forearm.

"There's no denying if he tries to play, we'll run at him," Cowboys coach Ian Millward said.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he played, but back six weeks after (breaking) an arm .... it's a big ask.

"Long-term that could be an issue and he's a pretty valuable commodity."

While Prince is set to fly in the face of his club's medical staff, Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said star halfback Johnathan Thurston had been given a specialist clearance from his surgeon to return from knee surgery.

Thurston delighted Millward at training on Wednesday.

He only needs to get through Friday night's session and pull up without any knee soreness on Saturday to play.

"Johnno is ticking all the boxes," Millward said.

"He looked outstanding (training) on Wednesday and showed no signs of any problems with his knee at all."

Like Millward, Parr expects Prince, who started his career with the Cowboys, to play.

"He's tough. To try and come back this early, he has to be tough," Parr said.

Millward said the Cowboys weren't taking any risks by playing Thurston.

"JT ran yesterday and trained the house down," he said.

"Prince is coming back early from an arm injury that could be vulnerable not only this year, but for coming years.

"They (Titans) know the facts a lot better than me.

"But he (Prince) is a quarterback and they're the most valuable commodities in the game.

"You'd think they'd be ticking all the boxes like we are with JT."

Millward said five-eighth Travis Burns, who is receiving treatment for a minor leg injury, was not in doubt despite missing Wednesday's training session.

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