by DarkKnight Sun May 26, 2019 10:36 am
The NSW Blues have been thrown into a playmaking scramble after South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds became the third star playmaker in 24 hours to sustain an injury.
The Blues were poised to go with the all-South Sydney playmaking combination of Adam Reynolds, Cody Walker and Damien Cook after Luke Keary was ruled out due to concussion.
Despite a strong desire to remain loyal to rookie playmaker Nathan Cleary, the omission of Keary had forced the Blues brains trust into a positional re-think.
With Keary ruled out and in-form Knights playmaker Mitchell Pearce also carrying a groin injury, South Sydney five-eighth Cody Walker is clearly the stand out option in the NSW no.6 jumper.
And with Walker at five-eighth, who better to select as the Blues halfback than Adam Reynolds.
Instead, Reynolds will go for scans on Sunday on a possible fractured fibula.
Reynolds started in superb touch against the Wests Tigers before reeling out of a tackle towards the end of the opening half.
The Bunnies halfback was forced off with a possible fractured fibula, sending the Blues brains trust back to the selection table.
Mitchell Pearce was being considered on the back of five man-of-the-match performances for the Knights.
But Pearce told Blues coach Brad Fittler he was carrying a groin injury when the Blues coach approached him inside the Knights dressing rooms on Friday night.
NSW coach Brad Fittler is expected to remain loyal to eight incumbent players from last year’s series victory.
Josh Morris and Daniel Tupou are also expected to force their way back into the NSW squad despite missing out in 2018.
One possible Blues bolter is Wests Tigers backrower Ryan Matterson, who is competing against Angus Crichton, Tariq Sims and Josh Jackson for a bench spot.
If the Blues brains trust go with Matterson, it will mean NSW select an all-rookie bench which will include Jack Wighton, Payne Haas, Cameron Murray and Matterson.
NSW LIKELY LINE-UP
James Tedesco
Josh Addo-Carr
Latrell Mitchell
Josh Morris
Daniel Tupou
Cody Walker
Adam Reynolds (injured)/Nathan Cleary
David Klemmer
Damien Cook
Paul Vaughan
Boyd Cordner (c)
Tyson Frizell
Jake Trbojevic
Interchange:
Jack Wighton
Cameron Murray
Ryan Matterson
Payne Haas