Rabbitohs star Keaon Koloamatangi fractures eye socket, Jacob Preston called into Blues camp
South Sydney Rabbitohs star Keaon Koloamatangi has a suspected fractured eye socket and has been ruled out of the extended NSW squad. His replacement can now be revealed.
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Bulldogs forward Jacob Preston has been added to the NSW squad as 19th man.
Preston will fly to Perth on Monday. He twice trained as an extra for NSW in camp last week at Leura.
South Sydney’s Keaon Koloamatangi has a suspected fractured eye socket and has been ruled out of the extended NSW squad.
Koloamatangi suffered the injury late in his side’s loss to Canterbury at Accor Stadium on Sunday and could be out for five weeks.
The in-form forward was due to fly to Perth on Monday to rejoin the Blues side as 19th man ahead of State of Origin II on Wednesday night.
NSW coach Laurie Daley is yet to name a replacement.
The injury is a setback for Koloamatangi, who has been among the best forwards in the NRL this season.
Penrith’s Lindsay Smith has already flown to Perth to be NSW’s 20th man.
It comes as two big Australian sports – rugby union and AFL – have united to help overthrow the deplored Maroons.
The Western Force Super Rugby franchise and West Coast Eagles AFL team have joined together to push NSW towards State of Origin history.
Preferring to support blue over maroon, the Force will supply players for a game of scrimmage at NSW training at HBF Stadium in Perth on Monday.
The Western Australian state rugby league side will also offer players to run against the Blues.
And NSW will also link with the West Coast Eagles.
Eagles legend and club community relations manager Nic Naitanui reached out to NSW management for a promotional jumper swap between current Eagles midfielder Elliot Yeo and NSW lock Isaah Yeo.
Isaah will present Elliot with a NSW jersey, Elliot will give Isaah an Eagles jumper. The pair aren’t related.
Penrith-born Naitanui is an NRL fan after his father, Bola, played rugby league.
It’s a clear sign that rugby union and the AFL is open to promoting rugby league in WA, a positive sign for the new Perth Bears.
NSW was also going to use West Coast’s training facilities – the two parties were working together – but the club’s gym had already been booked by the Eagles’ AFLW side.
The Force’s gesture was appreciated given NSW had concerns about finding strong opposition for training at Perth’s HBF Park.
When preparing for games in the eastern states, NSW had multiple football sides to run scrimmage sessions against at training but Perth presented a problem with few high-level rugby league players available.
The Blues want to engage in a high quality training session on Monday before a light captain’s run on Tuesday, which could run for just 15 minutes, to complete Origin II preparations.
NSW players caught a charter plane to Perth on Saturday afternoon.
NSW held its final training session in Sydney on Saturday morning.
The Force ran third last in this year’s Super Rugby competition, winning just four of 14 games. West Coast are also enduring a horror season, having won only one game.
Perth’s weather forecast indicates Wednesday will be clear with morning showers clearing.
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Originally published as Rabbitohs star Keaon Koloamatangi fractures eye socket, Jacob Preston called into Blues camp
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