Blues confirm McLean replacement after 'shock' injury blow

The NSW Blues have copped a heavy injury blow days out from State of Origin II after Casey McLean was ruled out with a fresh leg injury.

New Zealand star McLean suffered a suspected strain to his right quad barely 15 minutes into training on Saturday morning. The centre was spotted leaving the Gosford training centre early, and was later ruled out via a team statement.

It means former Wallabies gun Mark Nawaqanitawase will make his Origin debut in the starting side, rather than off the bench. Dolphins winger Jack Bostock has been added to the Blues bench.

McLean had come into camp with an unrelated minor ankle injury suffered during the Panthers′ demolition of the Wests Tigers last Sunday. This fresh injury is to the opposite leg.

It’s a blow to the 20-year-old rising star, who was a surprise star on debut in Origin I in Sydney, having replaced the concussed Tolu Koula.

Blues manager Frank Ponissi said medics believe McLean might only be missing from the Panthers side for a week or two.

“Our medical staff believes the ankle was fine, but obviously, he needed to train this morning to get through, so this has come totally as a shock and unexpected,” Ponissi said per The Sydney Morning Herald.

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“He’s obviously very disappointed... our medical staff believe it’s a seven-10 day injury in terms of return to play, which obviously rules him out of Wednesday night’s game at the MCG.

“Whilst we’re gutted that Casey won’t be playing, to have a player like Mark come into the team with what he’s done at NRL (level) and what he can do, he’s fitted in so well with the group this week.”

Elsewhere, Mitchell Moses is on track to take his place at No.6 for game two, where a victory would give the Blues the series’ victory.

Despite a significantly reduced workload in training sessions earlier in the week, Moses was back training with the main group on Saturday.

Prop Mitch Barnett suggested Moses got through the training session without incident, and there wasn’t “a shadow of a doubt in (his) mind” Moses would play.

Hooker Reece Robson said Moses’ lack of recent game time wasn’t a concern.

“Obviously played a lot of footy with him in the past which helps that, you don’t need as much footy at all, really,” he said.

“And, to be fair, a lot of it just comes down to reps on the field, and we’ve all played a lot of games alongside Mitch, so I think he slots in pretty well.”

The Blues travel to Melbourne on Saturday afternoon, ahead of Origin II at the MCG on Wednesday night.

NSW Blues game two team

James Tedesco, Brian To’o, Tolu Koula, Kotoni Staggs, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Mitchell Moses, Nathan Cleary, Payne Haas, Reece Robson, Mitchell Barnett, Hudson Young, Dylan Lucas, Isaah Yeo (c)

Interchange: Cameron Murray, Victor Radley, Addin Fonua-Blake, Api Koroisau, Ethan Strange, Jack Bostock. 20th man: Haumole Olakau’atu