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Injuries stall Blues' buildup
By Dean Ritchie
June 22, 2005
THE selection of NSW's State of Origin squad was last night thrown into confusion for the third and deciding match to be played in Brisbane.
Injury concerns may prompt the Blues selectors into making several changes when the NSW side is announced next Monday.
The contentious issues last night included:
* Trent Barrett not being chosen for St George Illawarra's match this weekend, virtually ending his chances of returning for the Blues;
* Winger Luke Rooney being picked but unlikely to play for Penrith - damaging his hopes;
* Rooney's possible replacement, teammate Luke Lewis, having a broken hand and missing up to six matches;
* Four contenders lining up should the wing spot become vacant;
* Mark O'Meley ready to return to the squad, perhaps for Steve Simpson;
* Craig Wing or Luke Priddis ready to take over should Danny Buderus not recover from a foot injury.
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Barrett had to play against the Wests Tigers on Sunday to have any claims of regaining the five-eighth spot from Braith Anasta.
Selectors may well have retained Anasta even if Barrett, who has a quads injury, had played this weekend.
"Trent won't be playing this weekend," said Dragons coach Nathan Brown. "He pulled out of the second Origin because he wasn't 100 per cent. Trent doesn't want to come back and then damage the injury again and be out for a long time.
"He wants to do his best by the club and for himself."
Dragons and NSW prop Luke Bailey missed last weekend's match against Souths after injuring a rib during the warm-up.
"But he should be 100 per cent by the weekend," Brown said.
Rooney damaged his calf during Origin II and has not played since. He was named in the Panthers side to play Newcastle this weekend but club officials are not confident about his chances.
Should a wing position become available, selectors may look at naming centre Ryan Cross and shifting Mark Gasnier to wing, as happened in Origin II when Rooney left the field.
Other wing candidates would include Amos Roberts, Eric Grothe and Hazem El Masri.
If O'Meley comes into the squad, Simpson could be the player omitted.
Wing and Priddis are contesting the hooking position should Buderus be ruled out. But Buderus is likely to be chosen and given time to recover.
NSW chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy said he would receive medical reports on the injured players before the side was chosen.
Asked about O'Meley, McCarthy said: "He has firepower and is a class player."
McCarthy said Buderus had played with a foot injury through the Tri-Nations last year.
** the squad looks better with the injured people out and the replacements in anyway **
By Dean Ritchie
June 22, 2005
THE selection of NSW's State of Origin squad was last night thrown into confusion for the third and deciding match to be played in Brisbane.
Injury concerns may prompt the Blues selectors into making several changes when the NSW side is announced next Monday.
The contentious issues last night included:
* Trent Barrett not being chosen for St George Illawarra's match this weekend, virtually ending his chances of returning for the Blues;
* Winger Luke Rooney being picked but unlikely to play for Penrith - damaging his hopes;
* Rooney's possible replacement, teammate Luke Lewis, having a broken hand and missing up to six matches;
* Four contenders lining up should the wing spot become vacant;
* Mark O'Meley ready to return to the squad, perhaps for Steve Simpson;
* Craig Wing or Luke Priddis ready to take over should Danny Buderus not recover from a foot injury.
Advertisement:
Barrett had to play against the Wests Tigers on Sunday to have any claims of regaining the five-eighth spot from Braith Anasta.
Selectors may well have retained Anasta even if Barrett, who has a quads injury, had played this weekend.
"Trent won't be playing this weekend," said Dragons coach Nathan Brown. "He pulled out of the second Origin because he wasn't 100 per cent. Trent doesn't want to come back and then damage the injury again and be out for a long time.
"He wants to do his best by the club and for himself."
Dragons and NSW prop Luke Bailey missed last weekend's match against Souths after injuring a rib during the warm-up.
"But he should be 100 per cent by the weekend," Brown said.
Rooney damaged his calf during Origin II and has not played since. He was named in the Panthers side to play Newcastle this weekend but club officials are not confident about his chances.
Should a wing position become available, selectors may look at naming centre Ryan Cross and shifting Mark Gasnier to wing, as happened in Origin II when Rooney left the field.
Other wing candidates would include Amos Roberts, Eric Grothe and Hazem El Masri.
If O'Meley comes into the squad, Simpson could be the player omitted.
Wing and Priddis are contesting the hooking position should Buderus be ruled out. But Buderus is likely to be chosen and given time to recover.
NSW chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy said he would receive medical reports on the injured players before the side was chosen.
Asked about O'Meley, McCarthy said: "He has firepower and is a class player."
McCarthy said Buderus had played with a foot injury through the Tri-Nations last year.
** the squad looks better with the injured people out and the replacements in anyway **
