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Origin and NRL news
Written by: League newsJun 7, 2007 11:34am
Queensland State of Origin winger Greg Inglis has been isolated from teammates after coming down with a virus. Inglis was excused from the team\'s training run in Brisbane this morning suffering from a fever.
But the team doctor Roy Saunders says it\'s most likely it\'s only a 24-hour virus and the electrifying winger should be back in action by the weekend. Queensland skipper Darren Lockyer trained lightly at Langlands Park this morning in a promising sign for the Maroons.
But Lockyer is still battling a badly bruised back and looked very tentative six days out from the return match against NSW in Sydney next Wednesday.
In the Blues camp, Willie Mason has led the call to arms for New South Wales to fight as a pack against Queensland in the second State of Origin rugby league game next week.
Setting the scene for a brutal and fiery clash at Telstra Stadium next week, Mason says the Blues have to fight fire with fire and has backed calls for more aggression. Mason says he is \"going to try\" to whack the Queenslanders during the game and has laughed off a photo of Maroons\' enforcer Carl Webb posing in a boxing stance on the back page of the Courier Mail.
Mason says the Blues need more mongrel and have to step up to Maroons enforcers Steve Price and Petero Civoniceva if they are to square the series at one all.
In response, Queensland forwards Carl Webb and Neville Costigan have taunted the Blues over selector Bob McCarthy\'s \"whack them back\" edict. McCarthy has set the scene for a torrid Origin two at Telstra Stadium next Wednesday by calling for more \"mongrel\" and saying someone should have paid after Queensland forward Tonie Carroll broke rookie NSW prop Brett White\'s nose early in Origin one.
But Webb says the Blues have to put their money where their mouths are. Costigan says he loves playing rough and dirty and will expect anything in game two.
In NRL news, Wests Tigers will test teenage sensation Chris Lawrence\'s suitability as a long term five-eighth understudy to injury-prone Benji Marshall in Sunday\'s clash with Newcastle.
The 18-year-old, who is in scorching form with six tries in his past five games, has played a key role for the Tigers off the interchange bench this season. But coach Tim Sheens is ready to give Lawrence a chance in the halves after relegating Liam Fulton to the bench following Monday\'s 38-8 loss to Parramatta.
Sheens says Lawrence will give the Tigers more speed in the middle of the park and is hoping the youngster will become another option in the halves in the future.
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JB
- June 8th, 2007 10:07amBig Willie is DREAMIN\', he ain\'t ever gonna step up against these power machines. This is origin mate, does anyone notice that Mason does dominate in regular season. I think he is a asset to any team, in regular season the passion isn\'t there but...................... Come origin when the BIG HITS come into place Willie is either running at the centres and wingers or He ain\'t runnin it at all. I don\'t know why the media don\'t say anything but he is lucky they haven\'t picked it up yet. Look at the Anzac Test. He got picked up and pounded 3 times and dissappeared. With the mouth on him they should be callin him Willie Mundine!!
Jason
- June 8th, 2007 1:27amHey, I relocated to the US recently and am having a rotten time trying to find live coverage of the Origin! I live for Origin matches, and missed game 1 live, but found it later and the commentary mentioned delayed telecast to US on Fox Sports but I have been unable to find it! I\'m still looking, but if anyone knows of when and which Fox channel, let me know! jbgoldcoast -at- yahoo.com.au. Thanks in advance, we\'ll get there, go the Mighty Maroons, all this talk of blues agression, it\'s all rubbish, so what if the blue cheerleaders put on a frown coz that\'s all the agression they can muster, bring it
Fritz Sipa
- June 7th, 2007 3:23pmI have watched that from every angle of the camera right from PNG and that tonie carroll made this tackle without any intention to harm white. Thats fair enough, white had his face pushed into carroll\'s shoulder and got hurt himself. Carroll is a \"tackling machine\" and did his part.
Charlie
- June 7th, 2007 2:57pmBrett White is a pussy cat, top work TC, break it again if Webby doesnt get there first
Gregory
- June 14th, 2007 2:19pmIf I am a boss, I\'ll sack Bob McCarhty straight away for not selection of Robbie Farrah as reserve forward. Bob McCarthy must sacked immediately. Also 5/8th should have strong attacker and strong defense. Braith Anasta is quiet and bored player. Bye bye Braith!!!! Bye bye Luke Bailey. :mad:?:(:redface:8)