Sharks won't add to Origin casualty ward
Jun 23, 2017 - 9:52 AM Cronulla won't add any more names to potentially the equal-biggest State of Origin casualty ward in almost two decades.The Sharks' five Origin players returned to Cronulla for recovery on Thursday and Friday. There was emotional bruising for the NSW players, but no physical blows set to keep them out of Sunday's NRL clash with Manly.
It will make the Sharks one of the few clubs to not be affected by Wednesday night's titanic Origin tussle, which could see up to 10 players ruled out of this weekend's NRL matches.
Melbourne have lost four, while Darius Boyd, James Tedesco, Boyd Cordner, Johnathan Thurston and Brett Morris have also been ruled out of matches for their clubs.
Tyson Frizell is also in doubt for St George Illawarra, depending on how his rib injury recovers.
According to Fox Sports Stats, a haul of 10 would be the equal-biggest since 11 missed matches in the aftermath of Origin III 1998.
The only other time 10 players have missed games from Origin since then came in the round after Game II in 2015.
It's understood the newly re-signed Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham, Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes are all injury-free for the Sharks, while five-eighth James Maloney is considered the most bruised.
But with the Sea Eagles just two points behind the Sharks and set to leapfrog them with a win at Southern Cross Group Stadium, Flanagan can see no reason why he'll be without his stars.
"They're all certainties," Flanagan said.
"Jimmy has a bit of a cork, but they're all in today getting some massage and treatment but they'll all be fit to play."
Flanagan admitted back-rower Graham had "struggled" since Wednesday night's heart-breaking 18-16 loss.
"It's the day after or the two days after they start to feel it and think about an opportunity lost," Flanagan said.
"They'll get over that and we'll train tomorrow and we'll be ready to go Sunday."
Graham was particularly distraught after the loss, and admitted to the media after the match he felt responsible for the result following a missed tackle in the lead up to Queensland's second try.
But Flanagan was confident he would overturn his mindset before Sunday.
"Talking to Wade, it's really hurting him at the moment," he said.
"He wears his heart on his sleeve Wade, and you see that in the way he played. He's struggled a little bit in the past 24 hours but he'll be okay."
Source: AAP
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