Blues center Matt Burton has dismissed concerns about his fitness for Origin III after leaving training on Wednesday, but NSW coach Brad Fittler may consider adding a new player to the team after Nicho Hynes gave positive to COVID.
Hynes was briefly on the NSW field on Monday, but did not travel with the team to Kingscliff, as he was due to play with Cronulla in Thursday night’s game against the Storm, but a positive PCR test on Wednesday ruled him out. .
Blues officials said the other 21 players had given negative RAT tests.
The Sharks creator was the 18th man in Perth and was due to join the Blues camp on Friday, but will now be quarantined in Sydney. His Sharks teammate Toby Rudolf also tested positive.
NSW officials said Hynes was only with the team Monday at 3pm to 5pm at an airport hotel and that all players and staff have been subjected to RAT tests twice in the day, with all negative results.
Hynes was the 18th man in Perth and was due to join the Blues field on Friday © Grant Trouville / NRL Photos
NSW officials said Hynes was only with the team Monday at 3pm to 5pm at an airport hotel and that all players and staff have been subjected to RAT tests twice in the day, with all negative results.
It’s unclear at this point if Fittler will want to add another player to the roster, but he doesn’t have a backup migback on the roster if something happens to Nathan Cleary ahead of next Wednesday’s series decision at Suncorp Stadium.
Jack Wighton has been named as the 18th man, while Burton could also take on the role of five-eighth if needed, with Jarome Luai switching to midfield.
However, Fittler may look to Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses, who replaced Cleary in the last game last year, if he feels the need to have a specialized midfielder in the 22-man squad.
Wighton, who was NSW’s best player in Origin I, trained in the center left © Grant Trouville / NRL Photos
Meanwhile, Burton is expected to train with the Blues on Thursday after Fittler and his coaching staff decided not to take any risks with a minor calf injury hampering the Bulldogs star.
Wighton trained instead of Burton in the center left, where he played in the 16-10 series opening loss at Accor Stadium before being ruled out of Origin II due to COVID.
Burton, who kept his place ahead of Wighton after starring in his Perth debut, insisted he was fine, but NSW staff thought it best for him to avoid the heavy ground at Cudgen after the constant rain in northern NSW since late last week.
“Obviously it’s a little slippery out there, so we didn’t think it was worth the risk today, but I’ll be happy to go tomorrow,” Burton said. “It’s a long week, so I didn’t want to take any risks.”
The Blues flew to Kingscliff Monday night to escape bad weather in Sydney, but conditions have been little better at Lismore on Tuesday, where the team trained barefoot in a muddy Oakes Oval or Cudgen.
599 “,”> 809 “,”> 959 “]” data-eqio-prefix = “video-post-screen” ref = “root”>
Until next time
/
Play Play Next
Burton tells us about his debut in Origin
Initially, the team was scheduled to train at Kingscliff’s Burger Fields, but the terrain was not in good condition after hosting local matches in wet conditions.
However, NSW officials may have to find another training camp if the rain continues, as on Wednesday the Cudgen Leagues Club camp was heavily saturated with water.