Kalyn Ponga has not only already been ruled out of Origin II, but won’t be seen again until the final rounds of the season, after suffering a Lisfranc injury in his left foot.
Ponga underwent scans on a foot injury after failing to finish Newcastle’s disappointing 22-18 loss to the Canberra Raiders following an innocuous tackle midway through the second half.
The star fullback will begin his rehabilitation with Knights medical staff, with the view of returning to play in the back end of the season, according to a club statement.
It is a huge blow for Queensland with the State of Origin decider at Accor Stadium less than two weeks away on June 9.
Billy Slater will name his Queensland squad for the decider on Monday, with Dolphins star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and revitalised Broncos fullback Reece Walsh shaping up as the likely candidates to replace Ponga if he were to be ruled out.
Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien confirmed that the injury was not to the same foot as the one which forced Ponga to miss seven games last season.
“Kalyn’s tough. He doesn’t come off for much. You have to drag him off the field with a tow truck normally, so it’s probably not a good sign,” O’Brien said.
NSW have question marks over five-eighth Jarome Luai and winger Brian To’o but Panthers half Nathan Cleary will be good to go after getting through Thursday night’s win over Canterbury despite carrying a groin injury.
Mitch Moses is still out with a calf injury after being hurt in camp for game two, prompting Luai’s return to the side and NSW have already had Matt Burton as back-up half for Origin II.
Luai is likely to be available for the State of Origin decider, with Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall expecting him to be out of hospital and fit again within days.
He was desperately missed by the Tigers in their 28-10 loss to Manly on Friday night, after being ruled out on the morning of the game.
The 28-year-old skipped training on Thursday with an infection from a boil, before needing to be hospitalised upon coming down with fevers.
Jarome Luai passes. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
But the Tigers believe that had the game been later in the weekend, Luai would have been able to play and he should be fine to play for the Blues in the July 9 decider.
“We’ll know a bit more in the next 24 hours. I think he’ll be out of hospital today or tomorrow,” Marshall said on Friday night. “I am pretty sure he will be okay for NSW if they pick him.
“He got an infection yesterday and didn’t come to training. He said he was going to be alright to play. And then he went to hospital and had fevers and the infection got a lot worse.
“If it was another 24 or 48 hours Jarome would have been right to play. But he wasn’t good for today.”
To’o’s place in NSW’s side for the State of Origin decider is set to rest with scans on his knee, after the winger was cleared of a high-tackle charge.
To’o was put on report for a high shot late in Penrith’s 8-6 win over Canterbury on Thursday night, leaving with him a nervous Friday morning.
But the Panthers star was able to breathe a sigh of relief, not even attracting a fine for the high shot on Bulldogs centre Bronson Xerri.
To’o had played down the tackle after the match, saying his only concern had been to check on Xerri following the hit. The chief concern though could be To’o’s left knee.
Penrith opted against having it scanned on Friday as they wait to see how it pulls up, but he is expected to undergo an examination on Saturday.
The 26-year-old confirmed after the match he had suffered a fresh issue when he required strapping to it in the first half, and he left the ground with ice around it. To’o’s fitness is crucial for NSW after his sheer power helped him score a hat-trick in the Blues’ Origin II loss in Perth.
“I’m still walking, that’s the main positive sign,” To’o said. “I think it might’ve happened during the game, either way I’m all good … It’s good.”
The four-time premiership-winner has been a fixture of the Blues’ wing since his debut in 2021, having played every game since then.
If that streak was to end, Canterbury winger Jacob Kiraz would loom as the most likely replacement. Kiraz was in line to be picked for game one this year before a calf injury ruled him out. He then came into camp for game two as cover for To’o.
Cleary didn’t kick goals in the Panthers’ win over Canterbury, and remains unsure if he will be able to do so in the decider.
“It was good, I didn’t really have any scares at all,” Cleary said. “This week I got two really solid training sessions in and felt confident. I am very grateful to the NSW physios and Penrith physios. Goalkicking is the next box to tick, but I was happy with how it went.”
Likely Blues team
Origin III
1 Dylan Edwards
2 Brian To’o
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Latrell Mitchell
5 Zac Lomax
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Max King
9 Reece Robson
10 Payne Haas
11 Angus Crichton
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo (c)
14 Connor Watson
15 Hudson Young
16 Stefano Utoikamanu
17 Spencer Leniu
18 Matt Burton
19 Keaon Koloamatangi
20 Lindsay Smith
Likely Maroons team
Origin III
1. Reece Walsh
2. Xavier Coates
3. Robert Toia
4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Cameron Munster
7. Tom Dearden
8. Moeaki Fotuaika
9. Harry Grant
10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11. Reuben Cotter
12. Kurt Capewell
13. Trent Loeiro
14. Kurt Mann
15. Lindsay Collins
16. Jeremiah Nanai
17. Patrick Carrigan
18. Ezra Mam
19. Corey Horsburgh
20. Jack Howarth
with AAP
