NSW Coach Laurie Daley Faces Tough Decision
NSW coach Laurie Daley will need to make at least one change for State of Origin 2 after Blayke Brailey suffered a broken arm on Friday night. The Cronulla hooker, however, remains optimistic about making a quick return and being ready for Game 3.
Brailey was taken from the field after reeling out of a tackle in the second half against Manly. It was confirmed on Saturday that he fractured his forearm and will be ruled out of Origin 2.
Despite the setback, Brailey is determined to return within three weeks and be available for the next game. The recovery timeline for a fractured forearm can vary, typically ranging between four and eight weeks. However, some players have managed to return in as little as three weeks, while others like Jacob Preston may face a longer recovery period.
Brailey shared with The Daily Telegraph that he pushed the bone back into place by himself. “I didn’t feel any pain at all,” he said. “I’m booked for surgery on Monday and aim to be back within the next three weeks. Laurie gave me a call this morning and he was terrific. He just told me to do everything possible to get myself right, which of course I will be doing for myself and the Sharks. I’ll be doing everything possible to get back on the field. I’ll even put on one of those Mal Meninga arm guards if I have to.”
Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon expressed hope that the break is clean and not displaced, which would help reduce the time Brailey spends on the sideline. He also mentioned that they are still trying to determine whether they should have played Brailey after Origin 1. “He was delivering for us. He’s such a player, but he’s not going to be out forever. Five minutes after Origin he texted and said he wanted to play and he wanted to play for this bloke (Cam McInnes’ 100th game for the club). It’s an opportunity though for other guys. We have Pep (Hohepe Puru) and Bez (Jayden Berrell) who have been ready and have delivered for us.”
Brailey made a significant impact in State of Origin 1, coming off the bench and playing a key role in the Blues’ comeback from 20-6 to win 22-20. With Queensland down a man due to Kalyn Ponga’s send-off, Brailey tormented the Maroons around the ruck and provided a try-assist for Nathan Cleary to bring the Blues within four points. 
Potential Changes for State of Origin 2
Brailey’s absence from Origin 2 opens the door for the return of Api Koroisau, who hasn’t played Origin since 2023. Koroisau was in contention for Game 1 until he received a three-game suspension. Warriors hooker Wayde Egan is also being considered after reportedly being in the frame for Game 1.
Daley has the option of playing Reece Robson for the full 80 minutes without carrying a back-up hooker. However, with the six-man interchange bench, it’s likely that Daley will choose two No.9s for the match.
This is a tough blow for Brailey, who recently had his record streak of 139 consecutive games snapped. This was the longest in NRL history. His appearance in Game 1 marked his Origin debut.
