New South Wales Blues prop Payne Haas has failed to train on the opening day of camp in the Blue Mountains.
New South Wales are preparing for Game 1, to be played next Wednesday in Brisbane, the same way they did last year with a training camp at the Blue Mountains Grammar School at Wentworth Falls.
They will then fly to Brisbane on the weekend to complete preparations for the opener to a series where the Blues will attempt to defend the shield they won under Michael Maguire last year.
But how long Haas will be given to prove his fitness remains something of a mystery.
The star prop, who is one of the first players picked for the Blues when fit, suffered the quad injury on the weekend as his Brisbane Broncos came up short at home against the St George Illawarra Dragons.
He was pictured after the game with ice on the injury and hobbling in the dressing room, with Blue coach Laurie Daley revealing on Monday morning that the champion prop had actually been playing through a minor injury for the last week or two.
He also admitted Haas would be given time to overcome the injury, with scan results then being returned showing Haas had only reportedly suffered a minor tear, which enabled him to link up with his Blues teammates, and for the NSWRL to put out a statement assuring they were confident the star forward would be able to play in Game 1.
But him missing a training session per News Corp which was also watched on by Melbourne coach and New South Wales advisor Craig Bellamy on Wednesday morning won't fill anyone with confidence regarding his status.
Melbourne prop Stefano Utoikamanu is on standby for Haas ahead of Game 1 and will remain with the squad over the weekend given Melbourne have a bye this coming weekend in the NRL.
