Watch: Payne Haas trains separately as Blues stars race clock for State of Origin decider
Champion prop Payne Haas has barely trained with the NSW squad and has been undergoing injections in his back to be ready for game three. WATCH the latest vision from Accor Stadium.
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NSW Origin stars Brian To’o and Payne Haas are still fighting the clock to play Wednesday night’s decider after the Blues’ final hit-out at Accor Stadium.
To’o looked to run freely during the warm-up before an opposed session with the Bulldogs’ Jersey Flegg side on Monday night, while Haas went through rehabilitation stretches with a physio away from his teammates as he nurses a back injury.
The Blues are confident both will play despite their modified build-ups but Haas looked the worse of the pair with just two days until State of Origin III.
The champion Brisbane prop has barely trained with the team and has had injections in his back to be ready for game three.
A call on his fitness will be made on Tuesday morning with Panthers forward Lindsay Smith on standby.
There’s some doubt about Stefano Utoikamanu who is nursing a calf niggle, but he also took part on Monday night’s warm-up.
After two brutal Origin battles and almost a third of the way through the NRL season, Blues forwards Hudson Young said on Monday it’s par for the course.
The Canberra star was himself dealing with a groin injury that has since subsided.
“I’m good,” he assured media.
“I had that injection a week and a half ago now, it’s just been return to run protocols and I had a good session on Saturday, so I’m good to go now.
“I’m 100 per cent. My strength is back, it’s a bit of a weird one you just get pains down into your pubic bone but that’s gone away now and I can’t wait to play.”
Like NSW Blues staff, Young is confident the team will run out as named.
“Anything this time of the year it’s hard to get 20 blokes to train, everyone has been going through what they have to but come Wednesday night at 8 o’clock, they’ll be out there,” he said.