Maroons respond to bombshell Latrell Mitchell Origin blow for NSW
The massive news took both State of Origin camps by surprise on Monday.
The Queensland Maroons insist their game plan will remain the same for Wednesday night's State of Origin opener in Adelaide, despite an injury to Latrell Mitchell that has ruled the superstar NSW centre out of Game I. The rugby league world was rocked by news the Rabbitohs star would miss the series opener for the Blues after succumbing to a calf injury.
The Blues were rocked hours before their departure for Adelaide on Monday when Mitchell told his teammates he would sit out the series opener with a calf injury. Scans showed the 25-year-old Rabbitohs fullback had suffered a grade-one strain, meaning he should be fit to feature in Game II at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on June 21.
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Penrith ace Stephen Crichton comes into the centres to replace Mitchell, with Bulldogs' playmaker Matt Burton joining the squad as 18th man. “Mitchell sustained the injury at training and scans later revealed a strain which would prevent him playing,” a statement from NSW Rugby League read. “Mitchell will be replaced by 18th man Stephen Crichton and did not travel with the team to Adelaide today.”
The Mitchell news came on a bad day for the Blues team and their supporters, with star halfback Nathan Cleary also understood to be battling a tooth infection. NSW coach Brad Fittler has reportedly placed Cronulla's Nicho Hynes on standby, although he fully expects Cleary to be able to play.
Reacting to the drama unfolding at the opposition camp, Maroons hooker Ben Hunt told reporters on Monday that the NSW setback changes little when it comes to his own side's preparations. The Maroons moved centre Valentine Holmes from the left to the right edge to combat Mitchell, allowing Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow the left-edge assignment on Tom Trbojevic instead.
Crighton's promotion to the centres to replace Mitchell offers the Blues a different kind of threat that Hunt and the Maroons will have to deal with. Although the Dragons skipper admits the Blues have lost some "star power" with Mitchell's absence, he says the focus for the Maroons will remain on their own game plan and preparations for Wednesday night's series opener.
"I don't think anything changes for us. It's a big loss for them but they've got plenty of players that will do a job for them," the Maroons hooker said. "Our focus is always on what we can do, so not much changes.
"Definitely (Mitchell) brought a lot of strike to their left edge. There's no secret what Latrell can do, takes a bit of star power out of it.
"You'd have to ask Val (if he's breathing easier), but he's a pretty classy player himself. He's a really good defender." Hunt said he would start in the No.9 and share minutes with Melbourne hooker Harry Grant, a combination that reaped rewards last year.
Blues expect Latrell Mitchell to return for Game II
Blues advisor Greg Alexander said Mitchell was clearly gutted after addressing the Blues squad to inform them of the situation. “It was an emotional Latrell who told his teammates that he was out at the team hotel," Alexander told the Daily Telegraph.
“When it happened, I was watching him and I could tell straight away something wasn’t right. We sat down on Monday morning and had a chat and Latrell knew that he had to make the tough call.”
It's understood the injury isn't serious enough to rule Mitchell out of South Sydney's clash against the Gold Coast Titans next Saturday, with Kaye revealing that the Bunnies after hopeful he'll be able to feature. “Souths now hope that he can run out for them against the Titans on Saturday so that gives you an idea how minor this injury is,” Kaye said.
Fittler praised Mitchell's selfless decision to rule himself out of Game I and backed Penrith's two-time premiership winner Crichton to fill his boots with aplomb. "There was a chance he could've come down and trained and possibly felt better," Fittler said after the Blues touched down in Adelaide.
"But he made the unselfish decision to allow Stephen to take his position. Stephen had been there all week (as 18th man), I think he felt that was better for the team.
"He was very emotional, it shows where he is at, at the moment, he wants the biggest stage and it's disappointing for everyone. A lot goes with Latrell and it's a shame we don't get to see him playing State of Origin, I'm sure he'll be right for game two."
Fittler says he had no concerns throwing Crichton into the mix after he featured in all three games of last year's series. "He's played in big games, he's been in grand finals and won grand finals and did a good job at the World Cup (with Samoa) and with us," Fittler added. "He won't be overwhelmed by the situation. We had a move called 'Latrell' so Stephen might have to adjust to that."
with AAP
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