State of Origin game one: Brenko Lee, Kurt Capewell cleared to play for Maroons
Beset by injuries in the lead-up to this year’s State of Origin series, Queensland has received welcome news on the eve of game one.
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Queensland have received a boost with injured duo Brenko Lee and Kurt Capewell both cleared for their Maroons debuts tonight in Origin I at Adelaide Oval.
News Corp can reveal Lee received the medical green light to play on Wednesday morning with scans clearing the hulking centre of any serious damage to his calf after he hobbled off at Queensland training on Tuesday.
Scans showed Lee is only suffering calf tightness, while Maroons medicos are satisfied with Capewell’s minor groin complaint — ensuring the duo will make their Origin debuts on Wednesday as Queensland’s centre pairing.
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Lee looked a shattered man when he left training on Tuesday, putting his hands to his head in despair as he limped off, but the 25-year-old will complete one of Origin’s greatest success stories when he runs onto Adelaide Oval tonight.
This time last year, Lee had quit the NRL and defected to rugby’s Melbourne Rebels, only to walk away after two weeks to accept a train-and-trial contract with the Storm.
Now the 100kg centre is a Storm premiership-winner and he challenged the Blues to target him in defence as Lee braces for a daunting duel with NSW’s Dally M Medal winner Jack Wighton, his former Canberra teammate.
“I know they will target both our edges because Capewell is not a centre at all, but I’ve had that all year at the Storm,” Lee said.
“I had players coming at me all year, but I’ll back myself.
“Jack got the Dally M player of the year so he’s a great player and I am close mates with him from our Canberra days.
“He likes the tough physical stuff and he will want to go toe-to-toe with me, so I have to hold my own.”
With Queensland officially 1 to 17, Lee and fellow debutant Xavier Coates will be the Maroons’ right-edge threequarters, while Capewell and winger Dane Gagai will defend on the left side.
Phillip Sami, originally named in the No.5 jumper, will be relegated in a heartbreaking near-miss for the Titans flyer.
Queensland coach Wayne Bennett backed Lee and Capewell to handle a NSW attacking onslaught tonight.
“It is a big challenge for the centres but I feel Brenko is the best guy to handle it,” Bennett said.
“He is football savvy and mature, he also has Felise Kaufusi defending inside him and he is as good as anyone in the game there.
“So that will help Brenko as well.”
Bookmakers have installed the Blues as hot $1.34 favourites to win a third straight Origin series, but Bennett scoffed at suggestions the Maroons will be flogged 3-0.
This is Queensland’s greatest challenge since 1995, when the Paul Vautin-coached Maroons - dubbed ‘Fatty’s Nevilles’ - overcame the loss of star Super League-aligned players to beat NSW 3-0 in the greatest upset in Origin history.
“I have faith in the quality of players here,” Bennett said.
“We believe we have picked the best players we can and after that, I have to give them confidence to get the job done.
“What the critics or NSW want to say has no relevance to me. We have a good team of people here who understand Queensland and can relate to Queensland.”
Gympie product Tino Fa’asuamaleaui will make his starting debut in the Queensland No.13 jumper and the monster 116kg forward insists he won’t be intimidated by the Blues.
“I can’t wait to get out there and get the ball in my hands,” said the 20-year-old.
“We are that determined to prove everyone wrong.
“There is a lot of talk out there that we can’t live up to Origin, but we have trained hard in this camp and every single one of us is up to it.
“We won’t be intimidated by NSW. We will enjoy it.”
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