NSW Blues call Matt Burton into camp due to concern over Ethan Strange ankle injury
Updated ,first published
– Kingscliff: Canterbury star Matt Burton has been called into the NSW camp ahead of Wednesday’s State of Origin series decider amid growing concerns over the fitness of playmaker Ethan Strange.
Strange sprained his left ankle during Thursday’s practice and spent the night being treated with an ice compression machine in his Kingscliff hotel room.
“I just rolled it – gotta be sweet,” Strange wrote to this imprint on Thursday.
But the Blues are leaving nothing to chance and have asked Burton to fly north in time for training on Saturday.
Burton did not need club duty this weekend due to the Bulldogs’ bye.
He will be joined on the field by clubmate Lachie Galvin, who has spent the last few days with the Blues. Galvin will return to Sydney following training on Saturday.
The Blues players had a rest day on Friday, with Haumole Olakau’atu and Addin Fundia-Blake stuck in the early round of golf while enjoying a swim at the beach most mornings.
Strange, 21, is working with medics to rehabilitate the ankle he rolled a few weeks ago.
“Ankles are a funny thing; when you do them they can feel like the worst things in the world, but within two or three days you realize you can run and strap them on,” Blues backrower Liam Martin said.
“I’m no doctor, but I support Strangey’s right. He’s a tough cookie, and if anyone can get through this, I’m sure they can.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Crichton said the move to fly-half at the Bulldogs had helped relieve some of the pressure on Galvin.
“I’m enjoying my time at number 6,” Crichton said. “Lachie is still running the show but I feel like my communication and clarity has made other people’s roles a little easier and he can move around and do what he does best.
“I’ve been feeling Burto since I got to number 6 [Burton] He also loves his football in the centres. I like my combination with him and try to give him the ball. “His communication has also gone through the roof.”
Blues coach Laurie Daley praised Galvin for being able to focus and block out “outside noise”, while Crichton said: “I don’t know how to handle all that media scrutiny at that age. I’ve learned a lot now, but at his age, what he’s been through and what his family has gone through will keep him in good shape going forward, not just physically but mentally.”
“Even though we didn’t start the year we wanted, this year has been one of our best.
“He deserves to be here because of the way he has developed as a player.” [with the Blues] “I train with the kids and learn from the best players.”
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