With another week gone by in the NRL comes another fresh casualty ward of injuries, this time hitting the NSW Blues and Sydney Roosters critically.
Winger Mark Nawaqanitawase has undergone surgery for a syndesmosis injury, along with star second-rower Angus Crichton suffering an MCL sprain.
Laurie Daley will be nervously counting down the days until he can announce his squad so he can cover the players on ice ahead of Game 1 on May 27.
Tom Trbojevic's latest hamstring injury and Jacob Kiraz's MCL injury are keeping the outside back pair out of action until past Game 1.
It skyrockets the chances of a 15-game Blues veteran to reclaim his position on the flank for NSW.
Josh Addo-Carr, who last played on the Origin stage in 2023, has been in quality form for the Parramatta Eels and stated that he still hasn't given up on returning to the arena.
“I'm always thinking about it,” Addo-Carr said to media.
“Those are the teams you want to be in. That's the pinnacle of rugby league, Origin and playing for Australia.
“If that opportunity comes up, I will definitely take it with both hands but my sole focus right now is playing good footy for Parramatta and trying to help these young boys here.”
With Panther's Brian To'o no-doubt locking down one wing spot, the second is up for grabs with the likes of Addo-Carr, Daniel Tupou, Alex Johnston, and Tom Jenkins all battling it out.
Addo-Carr has an impressive strike record when donning the sky blue, scoring 11 tries between 2018 and 2023, along with being a part of three series wins.
“We had an Origin get-together a couple of months ago,” Addo-Carr said.
“It was really good. To be selected in that and to be around the best players for our state was pretty cool.
“Hopefully I do get the call up but I'm focused on what I've got to do here.”
Outside of the back-line injuries, there' are plenty of headaches in the engine room for Daley to overcome.
With Liam Martin, Payne Haas, and Max King all unavailable, it may see Daley opt for some youthful choices.
Manly enforcer Haumole Olakau'atu has taken his game to new heights on either side of the ball. It could see him lock down a starting position after coming off the bench as a middle in the 2024 series.
It's expected Cameron Murray will also return to the Origin arena after a preseason Achilles injury kept him out all of last year.
Daley will name his side on Sunday week, as they prepare to host Billy Slater's QLD Maroons in Sydney on May 27.
