He failed to finish his State of Origin debut but Queensland centre Kurt Capewell is confident he’ll be fit to play game two in Sydney next week.
Capewell carried a groin niggle into Wednesday’s series opener but was one of the Maroons’ best as they claimed an 18-14 win over NSW at the Adelaide Oval.
The versatile Penrith star only undertook light duties in training on the Gold Coast on Friday, spending most of the session on an exercise bike.
The 27-year-old’s groin tightened up so much he had to be subbed off for the dying minutes of Wednesday’s win but he said that was just fatigue.
“A hundred per cent,” Capewell said when asked if he’ll play Origin II.
“It’s only a sore groin.
“Towards the end of the week it was pretty tight but game day I was moving fine, so I was fine to play.
“Obviously it tightened up towards the end of the game, but I was pretty happy to get through the way I got through.”
The Maroons will have to make at least one change when they release their team for game two later on Friday, with fullback AJ Brimson ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a foot injury.
Valentine Holmes, who was suspended for game one, is the favourite to take over the No.1 jersey although South Sydney’s Corey Allan is another option for coach Wayne Bennett to replace Brimson.
Centre Brenko Lee only completed a brief fitness test on Friday as he continues to rehabilitate the calf injury which ruled him out of game one.
Prop Christian Welch didn’t train as he completes concussion protocols after copping a head knock late in Wednesday’s game.
Lee and Welch are expected to be named by Bennett on Friday, with Maroons officials hopeful the pair will be cleared to play by next week.