Blake Austin pushing to play finals footy despite hand surgery
A FORTNIGHT ago Blake Austin had two metal plates and 16 screws inserted in his broken left hand. Now, he wants to play finals footy for the Raiders.
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THIS is the X-ray that shows the incredible toughness and resolve of Canberra Raiders five-eighth Blake Austin.
Austin had surgery a fortnight ago to have two metal plates and 16 screws inserted in his broken left hand. He is supposed to be out until next season.
Not so. If the Raiders can make it into the second week of the finals, Austin will try to convince coach Ricky Stuart and the Raiders’ medical staff that he can play with heavy strapping.
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As much as Sam Williams is a fine player, Stuart knows he needs Austin in the side to win the premiership.
He also knows players have carried similar injuries into end-of-season finals before.
Remember Andrew Johns? He played the 1997 grand final with a punctured lung.
SLATER’S SHOCK RETURN SHELVED
SUPERSTAR fullback Billy Slater has failed in a bid to make a surprise comeback should Melbourne Storm make the grand final on the October long weekend.
Slater visited his surgeon in Sydney for a six-month check-up on Tuesday and asked the question: “Any chance I could play in a month’s time?”
The answer was, no.
“It was just Billy being Billy,” said Storm general manager Frank Ponissi.
“He’d do anything to play but the specialist advised him against it.”
Still, the 33-year-old Maroons and Kangaroos champion walked out of the surgery with a positive medical report that put to rest any suggestions of an early retirement.
“The doctor was rapt about his progress,” said Ponissi. “He couldn’t have been happier.”
It means the Storm are no longer on the lookout for a five-eighth to replace Blake Green.
With Slater confirmed to start at fullback next year, the multi-talented Cameron Munster is set to wear the No.6 jersey.
GOOD SPORTS
THE Canberra Raiders ate at Bill and Toni’s Italian eatery in Darlinghurst on Friday night. Veteran publicist Grant Vandenberg was there having dinner with his family. “I have never seen a better behaved sporting team in my entire life,” Vandenberg told me.
MORE FOR MADGE
SO much for all the speculation just six weeks ago that Michael Maguire was “off” at the Rabbitohs. We’re now hearing the club is close to announcing a two-year contract extension for the 2014 premiership coach. His close relationship with Russell Crowe, Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess obviously helped when the club was struggling early in the season.
MOORE SPEAKS UP
THE Bulldogs lost the NRL’s greatest player for just $10,000. Former Canterbury coach Kevin Moore set the record straight after being unfairly blamed as responsible for letting Johnathan Thurston flee to the Cowboys. Moore admitted he had concerns about JT’s defence but voted in favour of retaining the now great on $220,000 a year. Thurston went to North Queensland for $230,000 plus incentives. Bulldogs officials are still pointing fingers at each other 12 years on.
Originally published as Blake Austin pushing to play finals footy despite hand surgery
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