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Blues coach Brad Fittler‘s hopes of avoiding an Origin clean sweep have taken a couple more hits with Campbell Graham ruled out and Payne Haas in doubt for the July 12 series finale at Accor Stadium.
The Maroons need a new fullback and prop for Origin III with Reece Walsh suspended and Tom Flegler sidelined while NSW are desperate to find any which way to avoid a clean sweep.
Both teams are due to officially announce their teams on Monday morning. The Blues have delayed their announcement to get a diagnosis on Haas with Souths five-eighth Cody Walker in line for a recall, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report.
Despite reports he had tweaked his hamstring, Haas’ ongoing ankle injury flared up in Brisbane’s victory over the Dolphins on Saturday night and Fittler confirmed on The Footy Show on Sunday that Graham would not be considered to replace Tom Trbojevic at centre because of the sternum injury which ruled the Rabbitohs star out of Origin I contention.
“He’s had an ankle injury for quite a while now, a few weeks,” Fittler said. “We’ll see how that is, the severity of that. The Broncos’ medical staff have said that there’s no hamstring injury, just the ankle injury that has been ongoing.”
“Campbell won’t be considered. I don’t believe he’ll be playing for a couple of weeks for the Bunnies.”
Reece Walsh. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Latrell Mitchell’s calf complaint will prevent him from suiting up while Trbojevic will not play again until 2024 after tearing his pectoral in the early stages of the 32-6 Origin II loss in Brisbane.
Penrith’s Stephen Crichton is likely to retain his starting spot with Matt Burton in contention to be the other centre although he could also be ruled out after being placed on report for a hip-drop tackle in the dying stages of Canterbury’s 66-0 flogging at the hands of Newcastle on Sunday. Brisbane’s Kotoni Staggs is another option after playing strongly in scoring eight tries for Brisbane this season.
Jarome Luai is yet again under threat to keep his spot at five-eighth after a lacklustre display in Origin II at Suncorp Stadium with Walker, Burton and Nicho Hynes the options to replace him alongside Mitchell Moses in the halves.
Walker could also be in the squad to be the bench utility.
Luai was charged with dangerous contact for an incident involving Jahrome Hughes in Penrith’s Friday night win in Melbourne but has avoided a ban, facing a fine of $1800-$2500.
Walsh’s three-match suspension for abusing referee Chris Butler on Sunday and Flegler suffering a foot injury in the Broncos’ Round 17 loss to the Titans means Queensland coach Billy Slater will be forced to make a couple of changes to his winning line-up.
Slater could switch Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to fullback to replace Walsh and bring Dane Gagai back at centre although the Newcastle veteran is out of action this weekend due to a minor foot injury and unlikely to be recalled.
Reece Walsh. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Kalyn Ponga informed the Maroons earlier this month that he would be unavailable for the series after being dropped for Walsh because he wants to focus on club duties at the Knights so Slater could elevate in-form Titans fullback AJ Brimson to the No.1 jersey after he was the 18th player for Origin II.
“That was a mutual decision. I’ve got no doubt that he’s going to represent Queensland again in the future,” Slater told The Footy Show. “Kalyn’s priority for now is just to play footy and it’s great to see him string a month of footy together.
“We’ve got some options there [at fullback]. We’ve got some plans in place.”
A left-field option would be to promote Tom Dearden to five-eighth with Cameron Munster shifting to fullback.
Selwyn Cobbo, after three tries for the Broncos against the Dolphins, is putting pressure on Xavier Coates for his wing berth.
Flegler’s absence in the pack opens the door for Canberra’s Corey Horsburgh to make his Origin debut after he was on the extended bench in Brisbane.
Here’s how the two states are shaping up heading into the final match of the series.
1 James Tedesco
2 Brian To’o
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Tom Trbojevic
5 Josh Addo-Carr
6 Jarome Luai
7 Mitchell Moses
8 Junior Paulo
17 Reece Robson
10 Payne Haas
11 Tyson Frizell
12 Hudson Young
13 Isaah Yeo
Interchange
14 Stefano Utoikamanu
15 Cameron Murray
16 Liam Martin
9 Damien Cook
18 Matt Burton
19 Keaon Koloamatangi
Blues spine: Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses was OK while filling in for the injured Nathan Cleary in Origin II but Luai looked lost without his regular Panthers halves partner by his side. A couple of his wayward kicks in particular proved costly for the Blues.
Reece Robson was solid in his Origin debut at hooker and with Api Koroisau out for another month with his broken jaw, is likely to retain his starting spot with an eye to the future.
Damien Cook could lose his spot on the bench for a more versatile option like Walker after the Rabbitohs hooker had to play 77 minutes at centre at Suncorp Stadium when Trbojevic went down injured.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Outside backs: Fittler’s preferred centre pairing of Trbojevic and Mitchell has played just three games together – in the 2021 series – since they both made their Origin debuts five years ago due to ongoing injuries.
Stephen Crichton is the frontrunner for one centre berth with Campbell Graham out of contention for the other spot at Accor Stadium due to his niggling sternum injury.
Matt Burton is likely to get the nod ahead of Brisbane speedster Kotoni Staggs and Cronulla’s Siosifa Talakai.
Forward pack: The news on Haas’ ankle is the last thing Fittler needs. Cameron Murray played strongly on Friday night for Souths so he looks fit again after being dogged by a groin injury in recent weeks.
The push is on for the third straight Origin for Murray and Liam Martin to be elevated to the starting side ahead of second-rowers Hudson Young and Tyson Frizell but Fittler seems reluctant to change what has been an unsuccessful selection strategy.
Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu got limited minutes in his Blues debut in Origin II so Parramatta veteran Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Penrith’s Spencer Leniu or Souths second-rower Keaon Koloamatangi could usurp him on the bench, depending on Haas’ availability.
Leniu should be given a run off the interchange as he has been one of the most impactful forwards in the NRL this year and probably would have made his debut earlier in the series if not for a ruptured testicle injury suffered in training prior to game one. “I’ll take it with both hands if I do get the chance but my brothers here wearing the black jersey will be at the forefront of my mind,” he said on Wednesday at a Panthers media session.
Manly veteran Jake Trbojevic is also a possible option after returning from a calf injury on Sunday.
1 James Tedesco
2 Brian To’o
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Matt Burton
5 Josh Addo-Carr
6 Jarome Luai
7 Mitchell Moses
8 Junior Paulo
9 Reece Robson
10 Payne Haas/Jake Trbojevic
11 Hudson Young
12 Tyson Frizell
13 Isaah Yeo
Interchange
14 Cody Walker
15 Cameron Murray
16 Liam Martin
17 Spencer Leniu
18 Nicho Hynes
19 Stefano Utoikamanu
1 Reece Walsh
2 Xavier Coates
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5 Murray Taulagi
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
15 Tom Flegler
9 Ben Hunt
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11 David Fifita
16 Reuben Cotter
13 Patrick Carrigan
Interchange
14 Harry Grant
8 Lindsay Collins
17 Moeaki Fotuaika
12 Jeremiah Nanai
18 AJ Brimson
19 Corey Horsburgh
Maroons spine: Walsh’s foul-mouthed spray has taught him a valuable lesson, hopefully, as it’s cost him an Origin jersey.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow probably deserves first crack at fullback in his absence but a lack of centre options could prompt Slater to bring AJ Brimson into the No.1 jersey and keep the Hammer in the centres.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Outside backs: Dane Gagai appears to be the only other option for a spot in the centres with Knights teammate Kalyn Ponga focusing on club duties. Gagai has a foot injury which has kept him out of Round 18.
The rest of the contenders for Maroons berths are specialist wingers like Selwyn Cobbo or Corey Oates. Cobbo could get the nod ahead of Xavier Coates on the wing after a hip injury ruled the Broncos speedster out of game two.
Forward pack: Canberra’s Corey Horsburgh is set to make his debut with Tom Flegler out of action.
Storm prop Christian Welch is also a candidate after a hip-drop suspension ruled him out of a potential Origin II selection.
Slater switched Lindsay Collins and Jeremiah to the interchange on game night but Collins, after his player of the match performance, is likely to remain in the run-on team this time around for the finale in Sydney.
1 AJ Brimson
2 Xavier Coates
3 Valentine Holmes
4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5 Murray Taulagi
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Lindsay Collins
9 Ben Hunt
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11 David Fifita
12 Reuben Cotter
13 Patrick Carrigan
Interchange
14 Harry Grant
15 Corey Horsburgh
16 Moeaki Fotuaika
17 Jeremiah Nanai
18 Tom Dearden
19 Christian Welch
with AAP