NSW’s horrendous State of Origin I preparations may have been dealt a fatal blow with injury and suspension threatening Blues skipper Paul Gallen’s involvement in the series opener following South Sydney’s drama-charged 34-28 NRL win over Cronulla on Monday night.
As if the sight of a rampant Souths and Queensland star Greg Inglis scoring a brilliant hat-trick wasn’t enough to ensure a sleepless night for NSW coach Ricky Stuart, then Gallen’s shocking night out would have done the trick.
Gallen hobbled from the field in the 57th minute, telling Sharks medical officials he “felt something go” in his right knee as he surrendered in a tackle.
That came after he was placed on report for a fourth minute knee to the head of Dave Taylor after they were both getting to their feet after a tackle, Souths skipper Michael Crocker saying “you can’t knee a bloke in the head” as Gallen protested his innocence following the penalty.
Already without certain selections Kurt Gidley, Danny Buderus and Michael Jennings due to injury, the loss of his inspirational captain Gallen could be the setback from which the Blues fail to recover.
The one bright spot for NSW would have been the performance of likely five-eighth Todd Carney – who scored one breathtaking solo try from a scrum, played a leading role in three other four-pointers and nailed four of five conversions.
But his heroics were no match for Inglis, who almost single-handedly stopped Cronulla’s winning streak at six to re-affirm that his NRL future is most definitely in the No.1 jumper.
His hat-trick – which started with a powerful fifth minute effort when he charged through a host of defenders from short range – was just the start of it.
He also set up another for Nathan Merritt – who scored a double to open his 2012 account – while two try-saving tackles in defence completed a standout all-around game for the representative star.
After Inglis and Carney traded early tries, Merritt got going with a 65-metre intercept off a Gallen pass before Inglis’ second had the home side in charge.
Their momentum was halted by a harsh penalty against Issac Luke when he was ruled to be third man into a fight on his own in-goal while in possession, with Jeff Robson scoring from the ensuing set.
Carney’s night could have been even better if not for winger John Williams botching two try-scoring chances set up by the crafty pivot, his opposite Stewart Mills doing better to cut the margin to 20-16 before Inglis and Merritt crossed again to ensure the Rabbitohs’ second-straight win.