State of Origin injury news: NSW Blues star Bradman Best out of Game I with hamstring tear

Scans have confirmed one of the Blues’ incumbent centres will miss the opening State of Origin clash with a hamstring injury.

Bradman Best will miss Game I with a grade two hamstring injury. Picture: Jonathan Ng

• State of Origin team selector

Bradman Best has been ruled out of State of Origin I calculations throwing even more carnage at NSW coach Michael Maguire.

Scans have confirmed the Knights centre has suffered a grade two hamstring injury.

Best was a frontrunner to hold down his centre position after making his Origin debut in game three of last year’s series, in which he scored two tries.

However, he will miss a minimum of four weeks after suffering the injury in the Knights Magic Round victory over the Titans.

“He’s obviously disappointed,’’ Knights head of football Peter Parr said of Best.

“He’s also realistic and is now focused on getting back on the field as soon as possible.

“Our expectation was that he would be in the Origin team, so with the bye this weekend, it will give a chance to assess our options to fill Bradman’s void.’’

Jesse Ramien, Latrell Mitchell and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii are all centre options for Maguire.

Originally published as State of Origin injury news: NSW Blues star Bradman Best out of Game I with hamstring tear