NSW have decided to roll the dice on Ethan Strange’s ankle injury after Blues medical staff cleared the 21-year-old to feature in Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium. Bulldogs star Matt Burton was drafted into Blues camp as injury cover for Strange, who rolled his ankle at training last week. But NSW released Burton back to his NRL club on Monday after being satisfied with Strange’s recovery.
Monday loomed as a crucial day for the Raiders young gun, who’s been racing the clock to prove his fitness for Game 3. The 21-year-old was one of the standouts for the Blues in their come-from-behind Game 1 victory, but was under a major injury cloud ahead of the must-win series decider against the Maroons in Brisbane.
Blues standby Matt Burton (L) was released back to his NRL club Canterbury on Monday after Ethan Strange (R) was cleared to play for NSW in Origin 3 after an ankle injury. Pic: Getty
(Getty)
Strange has undergone extensive treatment on his troublesome left ankle after being spotted in a moon boot after last week’s training incident. But he’s been walking more freely in recent days and managed to come through a running session at Brisbane’s Ballymore Stadium on Monday.
The young playmaker completed the Blues’ penultimate session at Origin camp, and NSW officials are satisfied that Strange is fit enough to take his spot on Laurie Daley’s six-man bench. It comes as a huge boost for the Blues, following Strange’s heroics in the series opener after being thrust into a starting halves role for the injured Mitchell Moses.
“You’ve seen what he did in game one,” Blues prop Mitch Barnett said before training on Monday. “I just think he’s a footballer, when given an opportunity to play anywhere on the field, he delivers. He’s an important piece of the puzzle.”
The NSW prop says Blues players were quietly confident Strange would be cleared to play, despite reports over the weekend suggesting otherwise. “The ankle, I’m not a doctor but I’ve had a couple of them, they’re pretty easy to strap and that sort of thing,” Barnett said. “I think it’s a bit different if you’re going a hamstring or soft tissue sort of thing. But he just rolled his ankle.”
Blues medical staff have given Ethan Strange the all-clear to play in Origin 3 against the Maroons on Wednesday night.
(Bradley Kanaris via Getty Images)Matt Burton returns to Bulldogs in boost for NRL club
The green light for Strange saw the Blues release Origin 3 standby Burton back to the Bulldogs on Monday, in welcome news for Cameron Ciraldo’s resurgent side. Canterbury host Canberra in a crucial NRL Round 19 clash less than 72 hours after Origin 3.
The Dogs had the bye last weekend but head into Saturday’s clash against the Raiders on a three-game winning streak. And Burton’s inclusion comes as a major boost for Canterbury’s preparations as the 10th-placed Dogs look to stay in touch with the playoff spots.
with AAP