NSW United: Injured stars join Blues camp in show of solidarity

Injured Origin stars Nathan Cleary, Cameron Murray and Tom Trbojevic have joined the NSW camp in the Blue Mountains as the Blues ramped up preparations for next week’s series opener at Accor Stadium.

Cleary was a keen observer at NSW’s first training session on Wednesday morning at Blue Mountains Grammer School, which has converted a soccer pitch into a rugby league field for the Blues to use throughout the Origin series.   

Murray joined Cleary for lunch with the Blues at their Leura hotel and Trbojevic, whose brother Jake will captain NSW for the first time on June 5, was due to arrive in camp later.

Coincidentally, if Cleary or Murray had been fit, it is expected that one of them would have taken over the captaincy after new coach Michael Maguire opted for Dylan Edwards to replace long serving skipper James Tedesco at fullback.

The pair were vice-captains under Tedesco but with Cleary tearing his hamstring and Murray sidelined with a hip injury, Trbojevic will become the first Blues skipper who does not captain his club side since Brad Fittler in 1996.

Maguire wants all of NSW to unify behind the team and the presence of the injured trio in camp is a further sign of solidarity among the Blues alumni after 85 former players attended a dinner with his squad on Monday.  

Cleary watched the session with NSW team manager Frank Ponissi before checking into the Blues hotel.

“It is great to have him around,” Blues second-rower Angus Crichton said.

“He has been a big part of this team for a number of years now and it obviously hurts not having him play but having his knowledge and just his presence around the boys is great.”

While they had planned for Cleary to join the Blues camp, along with Murray and Trbojevic, Blues officials and players hadn’t expected to see him at training and he arrived 30 minutes ahead of the

“Nathan would obviously be devastated to not be part of these Blues camps,” Cleary’s Penrith team-mate Brian To’o said. “He is a big part of the Blue. It was good to see him.”

Blues halfback Nicho Hynes sat out training due to a nagging calf injury, while second-rower Liam Martin did not do any high impact running after injuring his hamstring last weekend.

Luke Keary ran at halfback in place of Hynes but the Sharks playmaker is expected to train on Thursday.

A final decision will need to be made on the fitness of Hynes by Friday as Keary is due to be released from camp to play for Sydney Roosters if he is not in the Blues team.

“He [Hynes] did a lot of watching but we obviously back the physio staff with their plan with him and if he’s right he’ll play,” Crichton said.

“I think Nicho will be sweet but if he’s not I think Keary is a pretty hand replacement. 

“‘Kez is a pro, he’s been there in big games and grand finals and I think he’s really ready for it if the call comes for him.”

Warriors forward Mitch Barnett is on standby for Martin, who began the warm-up with the squad but moved to an adjoining field to perform some work on hamstring with physiotherapist Kenny Michalopoulos.

“It’s the same sort of thing with him," Crichton said of Martin. “We’re still so far away from the game and we want to make sure he’s got every chance to go.”