State of Origin: Bradman Best joins team training, Blues create fake Suncorp atmosphere, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii joins squad
Michael Maguire confirmed that Bradman Best is ‘ready to go’ for the State of Origin decider after the star centre trained with the full NSW squad on Saturday. WATCH THE FOOTAGE.
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NSW coach Michael Maguire has given Bradman Best the greenlight to take the field in Wednesday’s decider after the centre got through Saturday’s contact session unscathed.
The Newcastle star had been kept wrapped in cotton wool by Blues medical staff as he managed a minor hamstring issue during the week.
Best warmed up and ran drills with the side for the first time on Friday morning before getting through an entire opposed session against the Mudgee Dragons without any issues.
Maguire confirmed to this masthead that Best is ‘ready to go’ on Saturday afternoon.
Best was greeted with an emphatic round of applause and cheers from his NSW teammates as the Blues centre lined up for his first training session at the Blue Mountains Grammar School.
“Welcome back Bradman Best, brah,” centre Stephen Crichton yelled to a rapturous reception from players.
Canterbury’s Matt Burton has been in camp as the 18th man and will step in to replace Best on the left edge if the 22-year old suffers a hiccup before Wednesday’s decider.
Best will be the third left centre used by Maguire this series after starting game one with Stephen Crichton - who shifted to the right when Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was sent off - and then Latrell Mitchell at the MCG.
Mitchell caused havoc for Queensland’s right edge in game two but Crichton is expecting the same from Best, who scored two tries in a powerhouse debut in game three last year.
“You saw what he came in and did last game three. He is an absolute beast,” Crichton said.
“Both (Mitchell and Best) pose a massive threat but are different players. The more threats we have the more opportunities we will have as a team. He’s a game breaker and an x-factor.”
It comes as Crichton and Spencer Leniu scoffed at Queensland legend Corey Parker’s plea for the Maroons to ‘belt someone’ in Wednesday’s decider.
The Blues have been branded as bullies after strong-arming the Maroons, in particular Queensland’s big men, in game two at the MCG.
All week, the Blues have vowed not to take a backward step or be pushed around by the Maroons in Wednesday’s decider in front of a hostile crowd at Suncorp Stadium.
The Blues’ aggressive tactics left Parker desperately pleading with the Maroons to ‘have the mindset where you say ‘boys, if we need to do 10 in the bin for belting someone, do it’.
“Best of luck to them,” Crichton responded when told of Parker’s comments.
“They are going to talk whatever talk they want to.
“They are trying to fire up their players and state and create a bit of hype.”
But Blues enforcer Leniu doesn’t need an external hype man, like the Maroons.
The hostile jeers from enemy fans at Suncorp Stadium is all the fuel Leniu needs to ignite his tearway back fence carries.
“Energy is everything. Whether it’s good or bad I tend to thrive off it,” Leniu said.
“We are going to feed off our own emotion and energy. We are going to have to look each other in the eye, because that’s all we are going to have out there, is each other.”
Parker specifically called out Leniu and Crichton’s Roosters teammate Lindsay Collins after game two for being monstered by the Blues pack.
Crichton is expecting a response from Collins in the decider but their clubland mateship won’t stop him from making the battle personal on Wednesday night.
“As a pack, it’s alway that physical battle, us against you type of thing,” Crichton said.
“Origin is the biggest and most passionate arena. Everyone just gets up for it. We know if we can play well as a pack it goes a long way to get a win.
“We are taking it personally.”
JOSEPH-AUKUSO SUAALII JOINS SQUAD
The NRL has granted the NSW Blues special dispensation to add Sydney Roosters star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to Michael Maguire’s squad for Wednesday’s decider.
Suaalii will replace Tricolours teammate Luke Keary as 20th man after the veteran Roosters playmaker was forced out of the squad with injury.
It’s understood Keary was sent for scans on Friday.
He joined the playing group at the Blue Mountains on Thursday but did not take part in the opposed contact session against St Marys Saints.
Suaalii also first arrived into NSW camp on Thursday but did complete the session against the Saints.
Canterbury’s Matt Burton is still the 18th man and will replace centre Bradman Best if the Newcastle star is ruled out before next week’s clash.
Best has been on limited duties as he manages a minor hamstring complaint.
But Blues medical staff are confident Best will be available to take the field on Wednesday night.
He’ll complete his first full contact session in an opposed training run against the Mudgee Dragons on Saturday morning.
The Blues then fly out to Queensland on Sunday.
Maguire gets Best news possible
Bradman Best has been given the all clear to resume training with the NSW centre expected to take part in a full session with the Blues team for the first time on Saturday.
It is understood that Best is expected to take to the field with his NSW teammates for their final session in the Blue Mountains on Saturday before they travel to Queensland on Sunday. NSW will take part in their second opposed session in three days this time taking on the Mudgee Dragons as they lift their preparations ahead of Origin III. It was at the end of the corresponding session in Origin I which forced Dylan Edwards’ shock withdrawal on the eve of his Origin debut.
NSW had an opposed session against St Marys on Thursday.
Best has been nursing an ongoing hamstring injury in recent weeks for Newcastle where he has been limited in his build-up to games.
The injury has been described as hamstring tightness after scans earlier this week confirmed there was not a serious issue with Best. Those close to Best believe he has been cleared to take his spot back in the NSW team and will be right to take his spot in the Blues’ starting side.
Best has been on light duties this week since earning an Origin re-call at the expense of the injured Latrell Mitchell. Best shone in his only previous Origin game last year. He was picked ahead of Tom Trbojevic to take Mitchell’s place in next Wednesday’s Origin decider.
He sat out Thursday’s opposed session while NSW had a day off from training on Friday. Best has been training by himself since arriving in camp.
Canterbury’s Matt Burton has been placed on standby should Best have another hiccup while game one player Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is also in camp.
BLUES IMPORT ‘FAKE’ CROWD TO PREPARE FOR SUNCORP CAULDRON
NSW centre Bradman Best sat out Thursday morning’s opposed training against St Marys Saints, as coach Michael Maguire ramped up preparation ahead of next week’s decider.
Maguire is leaving no stone unturned in the lead-up even hiring a DJ to blast crowd noise and music to emulate the hostile atmosphere at Suncorp Stadium.
The loud music and ambient noise is designed to give players a taste of the unfriendly reception they will receive from 50,000, mostly enemy supporters, at the Cauldron.
It will also help players ensure rehearsed play calls can be heard over the crowd noise.
On the injury front, Best is still being kept wrapped in cotton wool by Blues medical staff with the Knights star managing a minor hamstring complaint.
Like Wednesday’s session, Best warmed up separately to rest of the Blues squad as physiotherapists put his hamstring to the test.
But in positive signs, Best was spotted warming up without any strapping to his right hamstring.
It’s expected Best will complete his first full training session with the squad on Saturday, after players have a day off on Friday.
Maguire has once again invited Roosters star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to train with the Blues in today’s opposed contact session against Ron Massey side St Marys.
Suaalii missed out on selection in game two after he was hit with a four week ban for an ugly high shot on Queensland’s Reece Walsh in the opener.
The 20-year old has now served his ban and will return to action for the Roosters in round 20 against Melbourne.
His Roosters teammate Luke Keary has also joined the Blues’ NSW camp at the Blue Mountains.
While the veteran playmaker did not train or play in the opposed session, he was spotted having a chat with halves pairing Mitchell Moses and Jarome Luai during the warm-up.
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Originally published as State of Origin: Bradman Best joins team training, Blues create fake Suncorp atmosphere, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii joins squad
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