Gold Coast coach John Cartwright is resigned to losing centre Josh Graham and possibly play-making utility Preston Campbell for Sunday's pressure NRL clash with Cronulla.

Cartwright was hoping for some good news with the livewire Campbell but conceded Graham was in "grave doubt" with a dodgy hamstring.

"Presto is probably 50-50 at best," admitted Cartwright, who could also by without fullback William Zillman, who was to face the NRL judiciary on a biting charge on Wednesday night.

Campbell failed to train while Graham quit the session early and looked to be struggling.

"It's a tough one," said Cartwright when asked about Campbell's availability.

"Do you rest him and make sure he is 100 per cent the next week or put do you put all your eggs in one basket this week?

"I'm more inclined to go that way if he's able to play, I'd love to play him."

Cartwright said the club's injury dramas and player swapping was a good test heading towards its historic first finals campaign.

"It's a good test and we've got a lot of big games in front of us. You never know what's going to get thrown at you," he said.

He wasn't confident about Graham's chances.

"I have to speak to the physio, but he would be in doubt," he said.

"He's got a strain of some sort in the hammy (hamstring) and seven days is not long enough to get it right so I'd say he is in grave doubt for the weekend.

One positive for Cartwright is the return from injury of utility Luke O'Dwyer, who can play in the pack or the backline.

O'Dwyer has missed seven weeks with an ankle injury.

"It's good timing getting Luke (O'Dwyer) back and Ashley Harrison is not too far away," noted Cartwright, comfortable he has the depth to cover all contingencies.

O'Dwyer said he was happy with his utility tag and would play wherever he was selected if needed.

He said despite Cronulla's lowly position at the bottom of the ladder they were a side capable of causing an upset.

"They are a very dangerous team. I know Ricky Stuart would be getting them up for this game," O'Dwyer said.

"They're a side playing for pride and they are capable of putting a scare through a side like us."

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