Test centre Jamal Idris has been called into the NSW team camp as 18th man ahead of next week’s opening rugby league State of Origin match in Brisbane.
Idris will act as cover for the outside backs and backrow, having narrowly missed out on selection in the 17-man squad.
While no Blues players are believed to be in injury doubt for the Suncorp Stadium clash, centre Mark Gasnier has revealed he could be a late scratching with the birth of his first child imminent.
Idris, who has been battling a stomach bug, will break from camp to play for the Bulldogs in Friday night’s NRL match against Canberra.
He will travel down with the Bulldogs side on Thursday, before rejoining NSW camp on Sunday when they are scheduled to fly to Brisbane.
Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore was pleased to have his star centre available for the NRL match.
“That’s a disruption for us, but he’ll be back for Thursday (so) he’ll train Thursday and go into the game on Friday as planned,” Moore said.
Asked if he thought Idris – who made his Test debut for Australia earlier this month – was unlucky to miss selection in the original 17, Moore said: “I thought two or three of our blokes were a touch unlucky.”
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