The New South Wales Blues have suffered a significant setback in their preparations for State of Origin Game 2, with star halfback Mitch Moses expected to miss the crucial clash due to a hamstring injury.
Moses Sidelined Again
Moses was initially in contention to start the series opener but pulled out days before after sustaining a hamstring strain during training. Blues coach Laurie Daley had expressed optimism about Moses' return, stating on Monday that the Parramatta Eels playmaker could feature in the June 17 match. However, the Eels have now confirmed Moses will not play against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs this Monday, and their latest injury report lists his expected return in round 15 or 16, casting serious doubt on his availability for Origin 2.
Daley's Hopes Dashed
Daley, who rates Moses highly, acknowledged the blow: "I think we all know what a quality player Mitch Moses is, and he’s a big part of the team. Obviously he’s missed the last couple of Origin games but I think he’s a big part of our team. His style of footy with his kicking game, his ability to organise, his ability to pass is different to Ethan’s (Strange) but if they are both fit they will both be there somewhere."
Daley added: "It’s not a bad hammy, and to be fair, the doc said if he had a week to recover, he would. It was really minor."
Opportunity for Strange
Moses' absence could open the door for Ethan Strange, who scored on his Origin debut last week and followed up with a strong performance for Canberra Raiders against Gold Coast Titans. This gives Daley less urgency to rush Moses back into the lineup.
Other injury concerns for NSW include a potential twist with Queensland stars ruled out, as reported by Robert White, while Daley is reportedly set to axe the star of Origin Game 1, according to Kealan Hughes and Ben Talintyre.
