Latrell Mitchell set to miss Origin III with injury
George Clarke |
NSW superstar Latrell Mitchell looks set to miss the decisive game of the State of Origin series with a foot injury.
Blues and South Sydney officials confirmed to AAP Mitchell is set to undergo scans on Saturday to assess the extent of the damage.
Mitchell is believed to have sustained the injury in the Rabbitohs’ win over Parramatta.
Coach Michael Maguire was expected to unveil an unchanged squad for the Blues’ trip to Brisbane on July 17 with Mitchell seen as being one of NSW’s key gamebreakers.
Mitchell missed NSW’s game one defeat but made an impressive return in game two, starring in the Blues’ dominant 38-18 win in Melbourne that sent the series to a decider at Suncorp Stadium.
But Mitchell’s anticipated absence will throw Maguire’s plans into chaos, with the Blues coach now set to pick his third combination in as many games.
Maguire has a luxury of riches available to pick from but ones which come with several caveats.
Newcastle’s Bradman Best is arguably the most in-form centre in NSW if Mitchell’s scans confirm the worst, but the Knights youngster must get through Sunday’s clash with Canberra unscathed.
Canterbury’s Matt Burton, who was part of the extended squad for game one, is also an option.
While Maguire could plump for one of Manly’s Tom Trbojevic and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii of the Sydney Roosters.
Trbojevic hasn’t played in over two months but will return for Manly on Saturday night in Townsville.
Suaalii, meanwhile, has been suspended since his shocking hit on Reece Walsh in the series opener.
The rugby union-bound outside back is free to play after this round of games and such is the esteem Maguire holds him in, Suaalii was part of the NSW camp in the build-up to game two.
AAP
