Blues Adviser Greg Alexander mentioned on Thursday, injured trio Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray and Liam Martin weren’t certainties for Origin II – and Mitchell is now out.
Meanwhile, Queensland legend Brent Tate doesn’t imagine Nicho Hynes is an Origin participant as doubts encompass the Sharks star’s capacity to get again to the consultant area.
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Brad Fittler’s telephone name to Hynes has additionally been revealed after the Blues coach admitted the concentrate on the Sharks star heading into recreation one — and since — was unhealthy.
And Damien Cook scrapped plans for a mid-season vacation throughout Souths’ bye spherical after being referred to as as much as exchange the injured Api Koroisau.
A NSW debutant may make a late swap in to the beginning workforce, whereas Queensland coach Billy Slater has opened up on why he determined to snub veteran backrower Felise Kaufusi.
Read under for all the newest Origin news!!
Club stage would not lower it: DCE on Moses | 02:22
BLUES TRIO NO CERTAINTY TO PLAY
The Blues have made the choice to hold some injured troops in Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray and Liam Martin all through their preparation for recreation two.
It has not been a technique that NSW have traditionally endorsed beneath Fittler, however that most likely is an indication of the magnitude of the duty of successful in enemy territory.
Alexander revealed the gamers would want to show their health in crunch periods on Friday and Sunday – however Mitchell was dominated out earlier than these even happened. He stays quietly assured the others will play, however NSW may have plans in place if they don’t seem to be proper come Wednesday night time.
“We have got a couple of sessions to get through, so that will be the deciding factor on those players,” Alexander mentioned.
“We have got to wait and see. That is basically where that is at. As of today I can’t say 100 per cent that they will be playing, but I’m quietly confident.
“The players need to get through Friday’s session and Sunday’s session before anyone can declare anything.
“We will give them as long as they need.”
LATRELL ONLY 50-50 TO PLAY
Blues celebrity Latrell Mitchell remains to be solely 50-50 to characteristic in Origin II, in line with Fox League’s James Hooper.
NSW is hopeful Mitchell will likely be nice to play regardless of a calf criticism however he gained’t be coaching till just some days earlier than the second recreation of the collection.
“I think Latrell at this point in time is still a 50-50 proposition,” Hooper mentioned on Fox League’s NRL 360 on Wednesday.
“Now the Blues absolutely need him to play, he’s a game-breaker, he’s a big game player, he’s an out-and-out superstar. As we’ve touched on a number of times already this week, look, they won’t be OK to train fully until Sunday.
“What I find interesting is the Souths physio was in camp today, they’re monitoring from a South Sydney point of view, exactly the training loads that Latrell is being put through inside NSW camp.
“And I haven’t seen that type of thing previously, so I found that interesting.”
Is Billy Slater the following supercoach? | 02:44
QLD LEGEND’S BRUTAL CALL ON EXILED BLUES STAR
Queensland legend Brent Tate doesn’t imagine Nicho Hynes is an Origin participant as doubts encompass the Sharks star’s capacity to get again to the Origin area.
Speaking on SEN radio, Tate believes Hynes would have been focused by Queensland if he began at halfback in recreation two.
“I said before the first game, I love Nicho, I love what he’s about, I just don’t think he’s an Origin player myself,” Tate informed SENQ Mornings.
“I just don’t see that in Nicho and I don’t mean that to be disrespectful, I’m just calling it how I see it.
“I would’ve been more than happy for them (NSW) to pick him at seven, I really think the Queenslanders would’ve went after him like they did in Game I.”
Tate believes Fittler picked Moses in a bid to avoid wasting his job, nevertheless it was additionally the fitting transfer to win the sport and drive a decider.
“I think they’ve pulled the right rein either having Mitch Moses or Adam Reynolds, either one of those guys in the Blues side at halfback, they’re as good as one and other, they both bring some really good qualities,” Tate mentioned.
“Freddy (has) made some big calls, if he doesn’t win this game, he’s gone, and I think he’ll be well aware of that.
“I guess that’s why they’ve had so much conjecture and waited so long mulling over what team to pick.”
NSW STAR MAY NOT TACKLE UNTIL GAME DAY
NRL star Liam Martin admits he could not have interaction in any contact periods till recreation day after he suffered a head knock in Penrith’s win over the Roosters final weekend.
Martin was clearly unstable on his toes after connecting with the hip of Rooster Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
Under the NRL’s 11-day stand down, that takes Martin till the eve of Origin recreation two.
Speaking to Fox League, Martin mentioned he was “feeling good” and searching ahead to heading to Brisbane.
“Yeah it’s good (the head injury), still as rough as ever but feeling good,” he mentioned.
“They’ve got protocols in place. I’m just doing as I’m told at the moment.
“At the start of the week there’s not much you can do.
“Towards at the back end, I think I’ll be back doing skills with the team and then contact maybe Captain’s Run or even game day.”
Martin mentioned he was involved he was “cutting it close” to being dominated out of Origin II when he headed into the sheds final weekend.
“Afterwards I felt sweet in the sheds … felt good,” he mentioned.
“But my first thought was I was cutting it close.”
The 26-year-old had a huge impact on Game I when injected from the bench on the 20-minute mark.
Martin says coach Brad Fittler has informed him to count on an identical function for the must-win conflict in Brisbane.
Martin ‘feeling good’ after head knock | 03:49
“He said I’d be doing a similar role – coming on in the middle to start with. Depending on how the back rowers are going, having a stint there,” he informed Fox League.
“I’ll be sitting on the bench for the beginning itching to get on.
“There’s nothing higher than getting a win up there and sticking it to ‘em.”
Fittler said he remained hopeful Martin passed every test required in the lead up to game day.
“He was OK after the game, so hopefully he gets through that,” he said on The Sunday Footy Show.
“Time-wise, it falls within the protocols, so he’ll be proper to play. There’s additionally issues to do with contact at coaching and there’s sure issues they’ll solely do at coaching, so that can all be supervised.”
Fellow injured teammate Cam Murray stays hopeful he’ll be handed match for Game II as he races the clock.
“I did my third running session today… progressing really nicely, ticking everything off that I need to tick off in my rehab plan,” he informed Fox League.
“Feeling really positive about it so hopefully it’s all good.
“I’m really confident (for game two). But I don’t have a crystal ball. I can guarantee I’ll be doing everything I need to do in my rehab plan to get the job done.”
Murray mentioned he was involved he’d miss the match when he went down with the groin harm.
“I wasn’t 100% sure what I did – I’ve never done a groin before so a bit of an unknown there,” he mentioned.
“I had some doubts about how long I’d take to recover, but got the good news the next day that where I did tear it was a little bit away from the tendon which was good news.”
Murray mentioned he doesn’t imagine lacking coaching periods will damage the workforce’s possibilities within the must-win conflict in Brisbane.
“These camps are about connection and understanding your teammates … I’m trying to get that connection even though I’m in rehab,” he mentioned.
“Hopefully come Wednesday we are ready to go.”
COOK SCRAPS HOLIDAY TO ANSWER BLUES S.O.S.
Damien Cook scrapped plans for a mid-season vacation on Souths’ bye spherical after being referred to as as much as exchange the injured Api Koroisau for Origin II.
NCA Newswire reported Cook was alleged to fly out together with his younger household on Monday for a vacation however delayed the journey hoping that NSW coach Brad Fittler would decide him for recreation two in Brisbane.
“It was a long day and I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to go,” Cook informed NCA Newswire.
“We were going to fly out yesterday (Monday) but we held off for one more day just hoping (that I’d be picked) because you never know (what might happen).
“It got to the point where we thought ‘maybe it’s not (happening)’ so we decided to start packing. We were going to fly out today (Tuesday) and go away on a family holiday, but as soon as we were about to start packing, I got the call.
“I get to go away for a week and the poor missus has to stay at home with the kids on her own. She was very excited for me to be here.”
Cook, 31, hoped that his Origin profession wasn’t over when he missed out on choice the primary time round and mentioned a protracted chat with Fittler a number of weeks in the past saved the hearth burning as a result of he knew he was nonetheless a part of the plans.
“We had a great chat after that first phone call and I let him know that I’ll always put my best foot forward at club level,” he mentioned.
“I told him that if he ever needs me again (then I’ll be ready) and now it’s come around to that. He’s put the trust me in so I have to make sure I return it.”
FREDDY’S TRAINING ADMISSION AMID WOUNDED BLUES
Blues coach Brad Fittler admitted his facet will get a restricted preparation as an entire workforce resulting from scheduling and key gamers carrying accidents heading into recreation two.
The Blues would be the strolling wounded this week with Cameron Murray (quad), Latrell Mitchell (calf) and Liam Martin (concussion) all on restricted duties as they bid to play on Wednesday week.
Fittler admitted to The Daily Telegraph the three gamers that performed on Monday within the Eels’ conflict with the Bulldogs had additional hampered the Blues’ preparations.
“You don’t get a lot of time on the field and we’re a bit wounded so we’re going to get even less time on the field,’’ Fittler told The Daily Telegraph.
“We had three boys (Josh Addo-Carr, Junior Paulo, Mitchell Moses) play yesterday, so the (NRL) scheduling didn’t help.
“We’ll be walking, at best, for a couple of days.
“We’ll most probably get two sessions with the full team.’’
Fittler admitted the onus is on new halves pairing Mitchell Moses and Jarome Luai to carry the load in the Blues’ preparations for game two.
“They’ll have to do a lot more, because a lot of them haven’t heard from Mitchell a whole lot,’’ Fittler said.
“It was a couple of years ago (2021) that he played for us.’’
The NSW coach said he had full faith in Moses taking over the reigns of the Blues in the absence of an injured Nathan Cleary.
“I’ve always been a fan of Mitchell and watching him play yesterday gave me a lot of confidence,’’ Fittler said.
“They’ve (Eels) had big games this year, they’ve beaten Penrith this year, they had an ordinary start but I feel like they don’t run away from a challenge, Parramatta.
“And Mitchell, he likes a challenge, he takes it on.’’
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FITTLER’S PHONE CALL TO AXED STAR AMID UNHEALTHY MEDIA FOCUS
Brad Fittler’s phone call to axed utility Nicho Hynes has been revealed after the Blues coach admitted the focus on the Sharks star heading into game one and since was unhealthy.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Fittler’s thinking behind the decision to cut the prospective halfback from the squad for game two entirely.
“Nicho deserves a lot of good stuff to be happening to him,” Fittler informed The Sydney Morning Herald.
“He was great in camp. But the way we were going about it, and the fact Cronulla were playing this weekend, it meant we couldn’t carry him as 19th man.
“I think he understood. Nicho had a lot of media. I don’t know if he read it all, but there was an awful lot of it, almost to the point it was unhealthy.
“I get it because he’s an incredible story. When he was here, he was always wanting to wear a smaller number, and I loved that.”
Despite lacking a key sort out on Cameron Munster that led to the essential match successful attempt, Fittler defended Hynes’ debut and function inside the Blues workforce in recreation one.
“The only thing he did differently was defend one person out,” Fittler mentioned.
“He did a couple of good things in that time he was on the field, which nobody will remember. He climbed over someone to save a [Murray Taulagi] try.
“But he and everyone else will only remember the other stuff. Cam Munster had to beat three blokes on the inside of him [before he got to Hynes], and he’s done that plenty of other times before.”
FITTLER’S POTENTIAL HOOKER SWITCH
NSW selector Greg Alexander revealed the Blues could possibly be plotting large hooker swap with a debutant doubtlessly beginning.
Following Apisai Koroisau’s series-ending jaw harm, Brad Fittler reverted again to a two hooker system with each Damien Cook and Reece Robson being chosen.
Cook, who already has 16 Origin video games beneath his belt, has been named within the No.9 jersey — however Alexander let slip he may transfer to the bench come game-day.
That would see Robson, who’s but to play for NSW, take the sphere forward of kick-off in an important Suncorp Stadium encounter.
“There’s a chance (he could start), I think Reece’s defence is one of the aspects of his game that sees him in the side,” Alexander mentioned on NRL 360 on Tuesday night time.
“Apart from his great service and his ability to run the ball he is a great defender so there’s a chance he could start.”
Alexander additionally was requested how he believes the mix between Panthers gun Jarome Luai and Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses would work.
The rugby league legend performed down any doubts surrounding the duo not working collectively and as a substitute pointed to the pair being the “best” gamers obtainable.
“I think Jarome had a great game, he was one of our better players … when you talk about combinations, primarily they will be on the left and right hand side of the field,” Alexander mentioned.
“They might link on occasion, but when you talk combinations and reasons why players might make sides … all those reasons, I think we just picked the two best players we thought could handle the situation.
“How that combination works, I don’t think that is absolutely vital.”
Tino escapes ban for Koroisau incident | 03:45
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LEGEND BACKS ‘GUTSY’ FREDDY CALL
Eels legend Tim Mannah has heaped reward on Brad Fittler for making a “gutsy” name and choice Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu to make his NSW debut.
The 23-year-old was included within the prolonged Blues squad final yr and the hulking ahead has lengthy been touted as future consultant prospect.
While Fittler’s determination stunned many, Mannah believes Utoikamanu is a superb addition to the NSW engine room.
“I love Stefano, he’s going to be another Payne Haas for NSW,” Mannah mentioned on SEN.
“He’s got that big engine, big body, he’s hard to handle and he’s a great kid as well, and he’s a really good human which makes him even more special.
“I’m surprised to see him in this early, I also knew he was going to play Origin but I’m really happy for him.”
Mannah additionally admitted Utoikmananu’s choice could have come “sooner than expected”.
“It’s a pretty gutsy call by Freddy (Fittler) because there was calls to bring in Spencer Leniu, which I thought they were going to lean that way,” Mannah mentioned.
Utoikamanu replaces Bulldogs enforcer Tevita Pangai Junior within the ahead pack and has been named to return off the bench.
SLATER BREAKS SILENCE ON KAUFUSI SNUB
Maroons coach Billy Slater has opened up on why he determined to choose Cowboys gun Jeremiah Nanai over veteran backrower Felise Kaufusi.
Both gamers featured in Queensland’s 2022 collection win, with Nanai enjoying in all three video games and making his debut in Game I.
In 2023, Kaufusi began the yr with a bang and was one of many NRL’s in-form forwards, main the Dolphins to a string of shock wins.
However, his season has since been hampered by suspensions.
Meanwhile, Nanai began his marketing campaign slowly earlier than discovering kind on the good time with a robust efficiency towards the Storm getting back from his personal suspension.
“Yeah (it was a big call), but you’ve got to look at who we brought in,” Slater mentioned on NRL 360.
“Jeremiah Nanai, who was fantastic last year and had the opportunity that Felise didn’t have to play last weekend.
“I think that was really important as well, playing football is really important. But having the option of Felise there, but also have the option with Jeremiah, I think that’s important.
“It’s a luxury we do have.”
Queensland assistant coach Cameron Smith additionally defined it was a “lack of football” that noticed Kaufusi out of the Maroons workforce.
In the scenario of Felise Kaufusi, who’s been there and accomplished it earlier than, it’s only a lack of soccer,” Smith mentioned on SEN.
“There’s just no other reason that you can come up with to say why he’s not here, he just hasn’t played enough games.
“So that was the reason why Jeremiah Nanai got another opportunity, he was fantastic against the Storm.”
He additionally revealed the problem Slater issued to Nanai amid a kind droop in 2023 following his Dally M Rookie of the Year marketing campaign.
“I think he was actually challenged by Billy with that time that he spent off the field,” Smith mentioned.
“I think Billy made a phone call to him and said, ‘You need to get yourself in shape, you need to spend this time away from the footy field, freshen up, get fit, come back and I want to see some energy about your football’.
“He did that, he did what he was asked to do, and he responded well.”
Cook assured Trell & Murray will play | 07:31
RABBITOHS STAR SNUBBED … AGAIN
Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham is among the NRL’s most in-form gamers — however as soon as once more was ignored by Brad Fittler.
The 24-year-old was included within the Blues’ Game I squad as 18th man however was subsequently dominated out with a sternum harm.
Without the niggle, the 24-year-old probably would have slotted into the centres for injured South Sydney teammate Latrell Mitchell who was additionally sidelined with a calf harm.
Ahead of Game II, Graham featured for the Rabbitohs in a loss to the Dragons whereas Mitchell remained sidelined.
Now, NSW officers will monitor Mitchell’s health main in to the essential Suncorp Stadium conflict and the celebrity is predicted to take the sphere, partnering Tom Trbojevic within the centres.
Jai Arrow, who has additionally been dominated out of Game II after struggling an ankle harm, believes Graham deserves to be within the Blues’ workforce.
“Don’t like it, as a mate. I think he’s built for it, he’s built for that arena,” Arrow mentioned on NRL 360.
“He’s been the form player of the competition throughout this whole year and I think he deserves a chance.
“But I am sure it comes one day for him.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au