Mark Nawaqanitawase out for NSW Blues, Angus Crichton in doubt after Roosters defeat Broncos
Updated ,first published
Mark Nawaqanitawase is expected to undergo ankle surgery and Angus Crichton also risks missing the opening match of the State of Origin series on May 27 with a knee injury.
The Sydney Roosters held on to beat Brisbane 38-24 on Saturday night but the victory came at a cost to the club and NSW coach Laurie Daley.
The first State of Origin teams will be named in a fortnight and Nawaqanitawase and Crichton are now expected to join the expanded casualty ward.
The Blues have 1076 NRL experience, including Brisbane’s Payne Haas (148 caps), Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz (84) and Max King (144), Crichton (206), Manly’s Tom Trbojevic (176), Nawaqanitawase (32) and Penrith duo Mitch Kenny (135) and Liam Martin (151).
Going to rugby Nawaqanitawase had been pushing for Origin after representing Australia in last year’s Ashes tour.
But Roosters coach Trent Robinson confirmed the worst after the game, saying: “It’s syndesmosis, it looks like it’s going to have surgery.”
Daley was disappointed to see Nawaqanitawase’s Roosters teammate and Queensland Origin representative Rob Toia limping off injured in friendly fire on Saturday night.
“Mark was definitely in the mix,” Daley said Sunday. “I liked him getting the ball out of range.”
“He’s a great finisher, very good with aerial balls and also has some talent. I also thought he adapted very well defensively and is improving in that area every week. It’s a huge shame.”
While Kiraz (knee) is still a few weeks away from returning, it is stated that Trbojevic, who plays on the wing at Origin level, will be out of action for at least another six weeks.
Penrith’s Brian To’o will be on one wing, while South Sydney’s Campbell Graham and Parramatta’s Josh Addo-Carr will be on the other wing.
Manly’s Tolu Koula has pace, Wests Tigers’ Sunia Turuva has big-game experience and To’o’s team-mate Tom Jenkins is the tournament’s top scorer, and all three are in the Origin conversation. Penrith center Casey McLean also played on the wing for New Zealand.
The left field option could be South’s Alex Johnston, especially given his form with the Rabbitohs and his combination with Latrell Mitchell.
Crichton was the Blues’ mainstay forward and Robinson feared the 30-year-old, who will start his rugby match against Nawaqanitawase at the end of the season, might injure his medial collateral ligament.
“We’re looking at him to see where he is, so he’s scanning right now,” Robinson said of Crichton.
The carnage is likely to continue with center option Kotoni Staggs facing a suspension for elbowing Hugo Savala in the back of the head, which earned him 10 minutes in the trash on Saturday night and arguably ended any hopes of Brisbane completing what could have been an incredible challenge win.
Wests Tigers hooker Api Koroisau is suspended and will not play again before teams are selected; Canberra’s Hudson Young returns from a two-game suspension on Sunday, but Canberra have a bye next week, meaning he will have played just one game in five weeks when the first Origin match against the Maroons begins.
