Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell looks very unlikely to return to action in time for Origin II.
New South Wales coach Brad Fittler plans to make a late switch for his Blues side for Origin I on Wednesday night – and it “makes a lot of sense”.
Speaking of switches, Queensland head coach Billy Slater has confirmed that a backline gun will play on the opposite side to what he plays in club land.
Meanwhile, Josh Addo-Carr continues to earn a lot of praise despite his hard ax after years of starring for Fittler’s side.
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LATRELL’S ORIGIN II OPPORTUNITIES SMART
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou has stated that Latrell Mitchell is “near chance” of making a return from a hamstring injury in time for Origin II on Sunday, June 26.
Mitchell has been banned from this weekend’s game for the Rabbitohs after contracting Covid-19, but Demetriou told The Sydney Morning Herald the superstar fullback probably won’t be back in action until Round 16 – after Origin II.
“He’s almost out of luck (for the round 15 Dragons game). We’re getting the bye week, so he’s looking more at round 16,” Demetriou said.
“I would say he would have next to no chance of playing Origin (Game 2).
“He put in a lot of work to get the power into his quad and get the work he needed to do to get his run right, which he did. But he hasn’t done the job of rugby league training.
“We have two games and then one more bye so it’s a good time for us to make sure we get him healthy from Covid first, then back and fit to play for a huge end of the year .”
However, NRL 360’s Braith Anasta said Monday night that if Mitchell could finish in time for Game 2, he would pick him for the Blues – if they lose on Wednesday – without any playing time on club land.
“If they lose Game 1 and I’m Freddy, he’s got a job done in Origin, I personally don’t care if he plays or not – I know he’s a gun, he’s a superstar – I’d pick him,” said Anastasia.
“But Souths has insinuated that he won’t be ready.”
However, Paul Kent believes this would be a “great leap of faith” from the NSW coaching staff as Mitchell would likely need some time to regain his match fitness.
“I wouldn’t pick him because he’s not a guy you’d call naturally fit,” Kent said.
“He’s a man who plays himself in fitness, even if he looked fit in the past, it generally takes him a few games to get going.
“All I’m saying is I don’t think Freddy will rush him back for Game 2 without a game for the better part of eight weeks.”
SLATER ATTACHES COATES SWITCH
Queensland national team manager Billy Slater has confirmed that Xavier Coates will play on the left wing, allowing debutant Selwyn Cobbo to play on his favorite right wing.
There were question marks as to who would make the switch, as both Coates and Cobbo both play on the right for their clubs (Storm and Broncos), but Slater told Channel 9’s The Sunday Footy Show that Coates would go left.
It comes after it was reported last week that Cobbo had trained on the right wing, with Coates on the left during the Maroons’ first training session.
CRICHTON OR WIGHTON?
Rumors continue to grow that Brad Fittler will reverse one of his most controversial roster decisions, instead starting Panthers gun Stephen Crichton in the centers instead of Jack Wighton.
Phil Rothfield this morning told Sky Sports Radios Big sports breakfast“We keep hearing that Stephen Crichton will not be taking his place on the bench and will actually be in the starting lineup and play in the centres. And Jack Wighton will fall back on the couch.
“I think it makes a lot of sense, his relationship with the Penrith halves and Brian To’o and Isaah Yeo the lock forward.
“I think that would strengthen the NSW side. I’m not critical of Jack Wighton at all. He is a great player and you know he will do his job there.
“But I just like combinations. It’s one thing (that) NSW has the advantage over the Queenslanders, with that Penrith combination. They have clearly been the best team all year, they are the best four or five players at the Penrith club and they should all be on the pitch together.”
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Wighton has 9 Origin caps to his name and has played in the centers for the Blues five times. NSW assistant Greg Alexander told SEN radio last week:
“It was a very difficult decision to think about who would fill the places of Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic, who were the centers in all three games last year.
“I think the fact that Jack has played central five times and has done a good job, we just appreciate Jack’s energy, the aggressive nature he plays in the game and Stephen is there to cover the fullback, wing or centre.
“Jack won it because of the aggressive way he plays football, with a lot of energy, he loves chasing stairs, that’s a big part of Origin.
“A big part of Origin isn’t the skill you bring into the game, but what you do for your teammates.
“We went with Jack on this one.”
HUGE Praise FOR FOXX .’S RESPONSE
Josh Addo-Carr may have been in all of the NRL’s marketing material for State of Origin this year, but he won’t be competing in Origin I.
His reaction when he was knocked out by the Blues was downright professional and humble.
Phil Rothfield, who was returning from a trip to Melbourne to watch George Kambosos fight, was extremely impressed to see the veteran Bulldogs flyer interact with fans at the airport.
Rothfield told Big Sports Breakfast: “I ran into him at the airport, Josh Addo-Carr. I’ve never seen anyone take as many selfies as him.
“Despite what happened, he has a smile on his face. He jokes with the gamblers.
“The way he behaves – I interviewed him last week – he’s not dirty at all on the Blues. He will still sit there cheering them on and he is desperate for NSW to win. He wants his place back (but) I really admire the way he has coped with this setback.”
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GREEN LIGHT GRANT
Queensland’s Harry Grant has declared himself fully fit for Game I after recovering from the flu and a groin injury. The 24-year-old only arrived at the Maroons’ base at Sanctuary Cove last Wednesday due to his illness and injury, but is eager to leave.
And Rothfield confirmed this morning that the Storm rake would be good to play, when Ben Hunt came off the bench and started at hooker.
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