Liam Martin in doubt for Origin after concussion blow
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Liam Martin may well have been knocked out of State of Origin.
The Penrith powerhouse, the best NSW forward during the opening interstate game, suffered a category-one concussion late in his side’s 30-6 win against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium. The back-rower was again a standout on Saturday night, pushing his case for a starting Blues spot, when disaster struck. In the 67th minute, he came off second-best in a sickening clash with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
Liam Martin is tackled by Luke Keary and Drew Hutchison of the Roosters. Credit:
Under NRL rules, he will be required to stand down for 11 days, the exact same number before Origin II at Suncorp Stadium. Unless an independent doctor overrules the category-one ruling – highly unlikely given Martin stumbled and appeared disoriented – he won’t be able to train at all before the clash.
It’s yet another injury cloud over the Blues that is already hanging over Cody Walker, Cameron Murray and Latrell Mitchell.
It appears that Brad Fittler’s chances of saving the series – and his job – just became a lot more difficult.
Hargreaves was again the villain, sent to the sin bin after injuring Moses Leota (category two concussion) with his elbow. Panthers teammate Spencer Leniu wanted to dish out his own justice; the pair were sent to the sin bin, but not before “JWH” sprayed him with his water bottle.
“It was just great, wasn’t it, for footy?” Robinson said of the Waerea-Hargreaves incidents.
“That’s why people enjoy watching footy. There was nothing in it, I don’t think from either end, like there wasn’t much to it. It was sort of heated there.
“I don’t think Jared did anything wrong in any of it. Guys tried to race out of the line and belt him. And that’s really unfortunate for Liam, he just copped a hip and then and then Jared was getting his bumpers up like every guy does in every tackle that they run into and copped Moses there.
“That’s a forwards battle and then it flared up. Good theatre, move on.”
The late fireworks overshadowed another listless Roosters performance – a side that many tipped to go all the way currently sits outside the top eight.
After the latest loss to the Panthers in a fortnight – this time a 30-6 capitulation – they may well finish there. The outcome of this was as concerning for Trent Robinson as for Fittler. This is what happens when the worst attacking team in the NRL comes up against the best defensive outfit.
Jarome Luai, playing in the headgear for the first time, turned any debate about his place in the NSW side on its head. The conversation is now Luai and Cody Walker rather than Luai or Walker.
This is further proof he and his Panthers can play without Nathan Cleary. The mountain men have now won 10 of their last 12 matches with the champion halfback.
The Penrith platform was laid early by Leota. The Kiwi prop steamrolled his way to 50 metres from five runs before 10 minutes had even expired on the clock. Shown the way forward, the rest of his teammates followed. Martin left defenders in his wake, Scott Sorensen underscored his reputation as the most underrated player in the game and, after some initial Roosters resistance, the floodgates opened. During a horror 17-minute period in the second half, they conceded four tries.
James Tedesco bagged the one and only Roosters try, a late consolation well after the game was decided.
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