A visit to a lung specialist will determine the immediate playing future of Canterbury and NSW hooker Michael Ennis after being forced to quit the State of Origin decider early when coughing up blood.

Ennis failed to make it through the first quarter in Queensland's 34-24 win at Suncorp Stadium, and will not play in the Bulldogs' NRL match against Melbourne on Saturday at Adelaide Oval.

Just when he will return to the field remains in doubt, the durable dummy half heading straight for St Vincent's Hospital after touching down in Sydney late Thursday afternoon in a search for answers.

"I had some x-rays last night to make sure nothing was broken in around the ribs and chest and they were all clear," Ennis said.

"Our (NSW team) doctor said the bleeding was coming from the lungs so I'm off to see a lung specialist now and we'll see what comes of it.

"It should be okay. It's settling down."

While coughing up blood would have most people fearing for their health, Ennis said his main concern as he trudged off Suncorp Stadium was trying to get back on the field.

"We'd put so much into the whole campaign and to have it cut short like that was extremely disappointing," Ennis said.

"I was left very empty, not being able to contribute the way I would have liked.

"I was concerned about getting back out there ... being the decider and, when I left the field, it was only 6-0."

Ennis said he couldn't pinpoint the moment he could have done some damage to his abdomen, with the Blues subjected to a sustained period of defence on their own line early in the game.

"I obviously copped a few knocks through defence but no specific incident that I can remember. It was just an accumulating sort of thing," Ennis said.

"We had a moment where we'd done a fair bit of defending there and then I felt a warm rush go through my stomach and then, basically, it came straight out of my mouth and it was just all blood.

"From then on, I defended a couple more sets and just ran out of air basically.

"I saw the doc when I went off and we couldn't stop the blood and they wouldn't send me back on while it was still bleeding so that was the end of it."

While he will be guided by the specialist's report, Ennis said he is determined to get back on the field as soon as possible, with the Bulldogs in tenth following last weekend's loss to Penrith.

Another loss to the Storm on Saturday night could drop them as low as 12th and increase the pressure on under-fire coach Kevin Moore.

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