Jake Trbojevic ruled out of Origin II with hip injury
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Jake Trbojevic has been ruled out of the second State of Origin match.
The star Manly forward suffered a hip pointer injury at training and called Brad Fittler to tell the NSW coach the news on Friday morning.
Jake Trbojevic is out of Origin II with a hip injury.Credit:NRL Photos
Fittler broke the news while commentating during Penrith’s dominant win over the Roosters at Bluebet Stadium on Friday night.
“I heard the news this morning Jake won’t be available, he got the injury at training,” Fittler said when asked if the Roosters forward Angus Crichton was a likely addition for Origin II.
“One of the hard conversations was speaking to Jake Trbojevic after getting an injury. It was a hip pointer problem. He will be available for the next game, so he won’t be out for too long.
“There are a few playing this weekend, but Angus did a terrific job for us last year, and he’s also played a lot of middle, too, so that versatility helps.”
Trbojevic played in the front row in the thumping of the Maroons in Townsville. Before the Sharks beat the Cowboys, Blues advisor Greg Alexander was asked whether Angus Crichton may feature for NSW at Suncorp Stadium.
After initially suggesting Crichton may miss out given the selectors would be loyal to the players that set up the 1-0 series lead, Alexander hinted the Roosters star may play through the middle third.
That would allow a straight swap for Trbojevic, who played a key role in the 50-6 win at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Meanwhile, the NRL is reluctant to put its stars back into a biosecurity bubble unless absolutely necessary after clearing a host of Sydney-based State of Origin from living in the Waverley area, which has been deemed a COVID hotspot by the Queensland government.
Saturday looms as D-day for officials to determine what restrictions will be in place to ensure game two at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday week goes ahead without further hiccups after Queensland closed the border to visitors from Waverley council area, which includes Bondi Beach. The ban comes into effect from 1am on Saturday.
Roosters and NSW fullback James Tedesco.Credit:Getty
“If worst comes to worst we’ll just charter a plane and take the players there and bring them back,” V’landys told 2GB. “We did it last year and we know the drill.”
The Queensland government eased COVID restrictions for Brisbane on the eve of last year’s series decider in November, allowing more than 50,000 people to pack Suncorp Stadium. At the time it was the biggest crowd at a sporting event in the world since the start of the pandemic.
NSW residents were only allowed to attend if they had spent two weeks outside of Greater Sydney.
While there is no doubt there won’t be the same chaos before this year’s Suncorp Stadium Origin spectacle, the NRL is also juggling a women’s Origin fixture to be played at the Sunshine Coast on Friday night.
Roosters players and staff were tested out of caution earlier this week. The tests were all returned negative before their showdown with the Panthers at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night.
The tricolours aren’t scheduled to visit Queensland until they play the Cowboys in Townsville on July 17.
The league has already been forced to several NRL matches this season due to COVID outbreaks, most notably the Origin series opener which was shifted to Townsville from the Melbourne Cricket Ground due to a Victorian lockdown.
The Broncos and Cowboys have also had extended stays in Sydney while the Storm have returned to the Sunshine Coast until stay-at-home restrictions are eased in Melbourne.
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