Injury blows leave NSW Blues on brink of unwanted Origin history
The NSW Blues sit on the brink of an Origin whitewash after their Game 3 hopes were dealt a crushing blow with the loss of two stars.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The NSW Blues sit on the brink of being on the receiving end of a State of Origin whitewash.
There hopes of avoiding the embarrassing result were dealt a crushing blow with two stars set to miss the third and final game on July 12.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Brad Fittler will finalise his team on Monday for the dead-rubber to take place at Accor Stadium, but will now be on the hunt to replace two stars.
“There will be a couple of changes, obviously Tom Trbojevic is out. There are rumours going around about Payne Haas and a hamstring injury and they are false,” Fittler said on The Sunday Footy Show.
“He’s got an ankle injury which he hurt during game one in Origin, so it will be interesting how he pulls up.”
Front rower Payne Haas is in serious doubt to miss the third game after suffering a hamstring injury during the Brisbane Broncos win over the Dolphins on Saturday.
Haas’ spot in the side has been a given for years, but the Blues will now await results from Broncos medical staff relating to the severity of the strain.
The injury to Haas comes after South Sydney’s Campbell Graham was ruled out after failing to overcome a sternum injury.
Graham missed the Rabbitohs’ Friday night clash against the New Zealand Warriors, sealing his Origin fate.
He was considered a lock to take the spot of injured star Tom Trbojevic.
It’s left the door wide open for Canterbury’s Matt Burton who can stake his claim against the Newcastle Knights on Sunday.
Cronulla Sharks powerhouse Siosifa Talakai is reportedly in consideration to earn a call up to the Blues squad, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Haas’ potential omission from the squad could see Penrith Panthers prop Spencer Leniu handed his Origin debut.
He’s said to be the frontrunner ahead of Parramatta Eels star Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Knights front rower Daniel Saifiti.
Already missing Trbojevic, Nathan Cleary and Latrell Mitchell the loss of two more powerhouse stars severely hampers the Blues’ hopes of pinching a win in the series.
In the history of State of Origin there have been seven series whitewashes with Queensland edging out their south of the border rivals with a 4-3 advantage.
If Billy Slater’s men can do what has only been done over the past 20 years, it will end Fittler’s reign on the sourest of notes.
Queensland’s last 3-0 series win came in 2010 when Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy was at the helm of the Blues.
The whitewash result ended his time in charge as he was swiftly replaced by Ricky Stuart the following year.
State of Origin 3-0 whitewash results
NSW: 1986, 1996, 2000
QLD: 1988, 1989, 1995, 2010
Originally published as Injury blows leave NSW Blues on brink of unwanted Origin history
The VIP lunch that could deliver a new Blues captain
At a special lunch on Friday, Ricky Stuart pulled up a seat next to Nathan Cleary. What happened next could change the course of history for NSW, writes DAVID RICCIO.
The South Sydney contract call that infuriated Matt Lodge
Matt Lodge was confident that he was headed to South Sydney for a Wayne Bennett reunion, but one brief call blew up that plan and forced the NRL enforcer to make a surprising career pivot.