The future of Brent Tate hangs in the balance after the Queensland veteran reportedly confirmed he had suffered the fourth major knee injury of his career.
The heartache over NSW ending the Maroons’ record eight-year State of Origin reign on Wednesday night was put into perspective for teammates after seeing a distraught Tate in the post-match sheds.
Unimpressed by Blues supporters booing Tate as he was helped from the field after falling awkwardly in a second half tackle, Queensland teammates were further gutted when it appeared their worst fears were confirmed.
“It’s definitely my ACL. I’m gutted,” Tate told News Corp on Thursday.
Tate, 32, will now consider his future when he returns to his NRL club North Queensland Cowboys on Thursday.
In a nightmare for the Cowboys, the NRL club also appear to have lost prop Matt Scott who suffered a suspected facial fracture in the first half.
Queensland fullback Billy Slater all but confirmed the news as he left the team hotel in Parramatta on Friday.
“That was probably the most disappointing thing in the sheds after the game to see a guy like Brent Tate with his fourth serious knee injury,” Slater told reporters.
“What he has been through and what he has overcome in his career for it to happen again for a fourth time is nothing short of disaster.”
The last time Tate damaged his ACL in the 2010 Four Nations final he was poignantly captured by TV cameras in the Suncorp Stadium sheds crying uncontrollably.
He defied the odds once again to reclaim his Queensland and Test spot and was in such fine form he had re-signed to play the 2015 NRL season with North Queensland.
Tate had a target on his back in Origin II at ANZ Stadium after earning the ire of fans by criticising Josh Reynolds’ game one dangerous throw.
The veteran – who also has a history of neck problems – revealed he had “never been more frightened in my life during the lifting tackle in light of Alex McKinnon’s career-ending injury.
It was seen by the Blues faithful as a ploy to ensure Reynolds received a lengthy suspension for the tackle.
“He has copped a lot of flak over the last week. It’s disappointing for Tatey,” Queensland forward Nate Myles said.
It added to Queensland’s mounting injury list for the series which already included Cooper Cronk (broken arm), Josh Papalii (ankle) and Corey Parker (facial fracture).
Daly Cherry-Evans (knee), Greg Inglis (ankle) and Billy Slater (shoulder) only played on Wednesday night after passing late fitness tests.
“I have never seen anything like it since I have been part of the team,” said Maroons pivot Johnathan Thurston, who has played a record 29 straight Origins, of their injury plagued build-up.
“But it wasn’t why we lost. We just weren’t good enough.”
