Eastwood out, Pritchard in doubt for All Stars
Bulldogs' New Zealand international Greg Eastwood has been ruled out of NRL All Stars contention and fellow Kiwi and new Canterbury recruit Frank Pritchard could also join him on the sidelines.
Eastwood had surgery on both wrists in December and is
expected to be sidelined for the first six rounds of the 2011 season; while Pritchard is recovering from a knee injury and will see a specialist tomorrow to determine if he will be fit to play in the February 12 Harvey Norman Rugby League All stars clash.
The pair, who were involved in the Kiwis' triumphant Four Nations campaign last November, were the top two Bulldogs forwards in the public voting for the NRL All Stars, which closes on January 27 at nrl.com
Michael Ennis replaces Eastwood and Aiden Tolman will take Pritchard's spot in the 64-man shortlist for the NRL All Stars team if he is also not cleared to play.
Only one player from each club can be chosen in the NRL All Stars team to join skipper Darren Lockyer and vice-captain Benji Marshall.
Eastwood, who has come back to the Bulldogs from English Super League club Leeds, broke his left scaphoid bone in the wrist representing New Zealand in 2009 and the right while playing for Leeds last March.
He complained of soreness in both joints when he started training in December, and scans revealed both wrists had failed to heal properly despite being operated on at the time.
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