Injury blows leave NSW Blues on brink of unwanted Origin history

The NSW Blues sit on the brink of an Origin whitewash after their Game 3 hopes were dealt a crushing blow with the loss of two stars.

2 min read

July 2, 2023 - 12:41PM

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 21: Payne Haas of the Blues reacts after losing game two of the State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium on June 21, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

The NSW Blues sit on the brink of being on the receiving end of a State of Origin whitewash.

There hopes of avoiding the embarrassing result were dealt a crushing blow with two stars set to miss the third and final game on July 12.

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Brad Fittler will finalise his team on Monday for the dead-rubber to take place at Accor Stadium, but will now be on the hunt to replace two stars.

“There will be a couple of changes, obviously Tom Trbojevic is out. There are rumours going around about Payne Haas and a hamstring injury and they are false,” Fittler said on The Sunday Footy Show.

“He’s got an ankle injury which he hurt during game one in Origin, so it will be interesting how he pulls up.”

Front rower Payne Haas is in serious doubt to miss the third game after suffering a hamstring injury during the Brisbane Broncos win over the Dolphins on Saturday.

Haas’ spot in the side has been a given for years, but the Blues will now await results from Broncos medical staff relating to the severity of the strain.

The injury to Haas comes after South Sydney’s Campbell Graham was ruled out after failing to overcome a sternum injury.

Graham missed the Rabbitohs’ Friday night clash against the New Zealand Warriors, sealing his Origin fate.

He was considered a lock to take the spot of injured star Tom Trbojevic.

Haas is in serious doubt. Photo: Scott Davis/NRL Imagery

Graham is out. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

It’s left the door wide open for Canterbury’s Matt Burton who can stake his claim against the Newcastle Knights on Sunday.

Cronulla Sharks powerhouse Siosifa Talakai is reportedly in consideration to earn a call up to the Blues squad, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Haas’ potential omission from the squad could see Penrith Panthers prop Spencer Leniu handed his Origin debut.

He’s said to be the frontrunner ahead of Parramatta Eels star Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Knights front rower Daniel Saifiti.

It’s Spencer time. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Already missing Trbojevic, Nathan Cleary and Latrell Mitchell the loss of two more powerhouse stars severely hampers the Blues’ hopes of pinching a win in the series.

In the history of State of Origin there have been seven series whitewashes with Queensland edging out their south of the border rivals with a 4-3 advantage.

If Billy Slater’s men can do what has only been done over the past 20 years, it will end Fittler’s reign on the sourest of notes.

Queensland’s last 3-0 series win came in 2010 when Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy was at the helm of the Blues.

The whitewash result ended his time in charge as he was swiftly replaced by Ricky Stuart the following year.