Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Blues stars Payne Haas and Stephen Crichton will enter NSW camp under an injury cloud as Bulldogs workhorse Max King earns an Origin debut and Mitchell Moses breaks up Penrith’s prize-winning playmakers.
Injury dramas on both sides of the border have rocked both Laurie Daley and Billy Slater 10 days out from the series opener, with Haas (quad) and Queensland clubmate Selwyn Cobbo (possible fractured wrist) to undergo scans on Monday morning out of Sunday’s shock loss to the Dragons.
Crichton (groin) will join NSW camp on Monday while Haas will be assessed in Brisbane and then travel to Sydney in the afternoon if cleared to continue his injury management in Blues camp.
Both he and Crichton played out their respective club games over the weekend and were named by NSW on Sunday night. But South Sydney’s Campbell Graham is on standby for walk-up starter Crichton, who struggled to train for the Bulldogs last week.
Tom Trbojevic’s own niggling injuries have hampered him this season and seen Graham preferred as Crichton’s back-up.
As the NRL’s form front-rower and a veteran of 14 Origins, Haas’s absence would be a telling blow for the Blues, who plumped for Warriors skipper Mitch Barnett alongside him up front.
King’s call-up onto the Blues bench at 28 comes as a fitting reward for years of toil and his critical role in the Bulldogs’ revival over the past two years. He is one of five changes from the 17 that triumphed under Michael Maguire in Origin III last year.
King, the grandson of legendary Dragons winger Johnny, is also eligible to play for England, having been born in Huddersfield while his father played Super League there.
King’s playing style has been likened to Jake Trbojevic’s no-nonsense approach in the front row and his Origin debut comes after 126 NRL games for the front-rower at the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Canterbury.
Clubmate Kurt Mann (32) will also head into Queensland Origin camp as Slater weighs up playing him and Tom Dearden off the bench, which would make Mann the second-oldest ever Maroons debutant behind Immortal Arthur Beetson.
As expected, Eels marquee man Moses edged out Wests Tigers halfback Jarome Luai to partner Luai’s former Panthers clubmate Nathan Cleary in the Blues halves.
“Disappointed, and if I wasn’t, I’d be scared because I know what I’m missing out on,” Luai said after taking Daley’s phone call following the Tigers loss to South Sydney on Sunday night.
“It was alright, straightforward and I heard what I needed to hear. I’m content with it because I know I’m in control of the selection at the end of the day. [Daley] just said, ‘I’m going to leave you out [for] game one and stay ready’, which I will be.”
Moses’ starring role in NSW’s 2024 series win will see him line up on a lethal left edge for the Blues alongside Angus Crichton, Latrell Mitchell and Brian To’o.
Max King is the Blues sole debutant.Credit: Getty Images
Daley told this masthead over the weekend that Cleary would remain the dominant on-ball halfback despite Moses playing a similar role for Parramatta, pointing to his junior history playing as a five-eighth.
Penrith premiership-winners Dylan Edwards and Isaah Yeo fill out the Blues attacking nucleus, while Cowboys dummy-half Reece Robson retains his place at hooker.
Yeo will captain his state for the first time after already leading Australia, while incumbent skipper Jake Trbojevic was unlikely to be retained before joining the casualty list with a concussion against the Cowboys.
Along with To’o, one NRL game back from injury was enough for Zac Lomax to prove his fitness, with the Eels flyer to line up on the right wing outside Stephen Crichton and Penrith mainstay Liam Martin.
Isaah Yeo and Daly Cherry-Evans will clash as Origin skippers at Suncorp Stadium.Credit: Getty Images
Spencer Leniu, King and Hudson Young make up the NSW bench along with Roosters utility Connor Watson.
Tigers prop Terrell May is a notable absentee after Stefano Utoikamanu and Haumole Olakau’atu were named respective 19th and 20th men.
Despite his outstanding form for the Tigers, May’s apparent defensive issues counted against him while ex-Blues coach Brad Fittler lashed him for “pathetic” comments when May dismissed his own selection chances last week.
Queensland will confirm their squad on Monday morning with Roosters rookie Rob Toia to make his Origin debut after just 10 games of first grade this season.
The Maroons injury woes saw Murray Taulagi (calf) and Tom Gilbert (shoulder) ruled out from round 11. Broncos lynchpin Pat Carrigan will also meet with a plastic surgeon before going into camp to assess a gory lip cut, but he is expected to be available.
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