Broncos stars Patrick Carrigan and Deine Mariner are eyeing shock early returns from injury in a potentially massive boost to Brisbane’s faint NRL finals hopes. But it could leave Queensland coach Billy Slater facing a selection dilemma for Origin 3, around whether to gamble on picking Carrigan for the Suncorp Stadium decider against the Blues.
Carrigan has been one of Slater’s most trusted lieutenants in the Origin arena but was ruled out of Game 2 after suffering a syndesmosis ankle injury. The Broncos star was originally expected to miss the rest of the Origin series after being slated to return from ankle surgery in Round 20.
Maroons coach Billy Slater (L) faces a selection dilemma for Origin 3, following news Broncos star Patrick Carrigan (centre) is pushing to make a shock early return from injury. Pic: Getty
(Getty)
But Brisbane coach Michael Maguire revealed that Carrigan and Mariner were both pushing to make shock comebacks in next Saturday’s must-win game against the Sharks, in a desperate bid to keep their season alive. Mariner has been out for eight weeks after having limb-saving surgery to treat a compartment syndrome issue.
Billy Walters is also a chance to return from a long-term ACL injury, alongside skipper Adam Reynolds (hamstring) and Ezra Mam (shoulder). And it could hand Maguire’s struggling reigning premiers a welcome boost as they aim to snap a seven-game losing streak.
“We get quite a few of them back,” the Brisbane coach said about his sidelined stars. “Billy, Deine and Patty are all chances to return. Credit to the medical staff with ‘Deino’. They’ve looked after him really well… He’ll be able to come back when the time is right, which I think should be next week.”
Pat Carrigan hands Maroons Origin selection dilemma
However, Carrigan’s situation could leave Slater with a huge selection call for the Origin decider on Wednesday week. Whether the Maroons coach would want to tinker with a Queensland side that dominated Game 2 remains to be seen.
But prop Lindsay Smith won’t be able to train fully with the Maroons in the build-up to Origin 3, having entered concussion protocols in the wake of the Roosters’ win over Brisbane on Friday night. And Carrigan is a proven big-game player for Queensland.
Test forward Patrick Carrigan has been a mainstay in Billy Slater’s Queensland Origin side in recent years. Pic: Getty
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Slater would certainly love to have the Test star as part of his Origin squad, but Maguire warned that Carrigan still “hasn’t been fully ticked off” to return by Brisbane’s medical staff. “If Patty does come back, it will be one hell of an effort,” the Broncos coach added.
“He knows his body better than anyone and we’ve got really good medical staff. They won’t take any risks with him. It’s not 100 per cent, but it’s a possibility.”