LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Mitchell Moses faces an extended absence from the game due to a calf strain sustained during State of Origin training.
The star halfback, who performed as five-eighth for the Blues in Game 1 and was expected to do the same for Game 2, was confirmed as a late withdrawal on Thursday.
Initially, the severity of the injury was uncertain, but the Eels have since announced that Moses will be sidelined for four to six weeks.
This injury is particularly disappointing for Moses, as he had already missed the end of the 2024 season due to an injury sustained while leading the Blues to a memorable State of Origin series victory at Suncorp Stadium, and he also missed a significant portion of the first half of 2025 due to a foot injury.
In his absence, Jarome Luai has been called up to join Nathan Cleary in the New South Wales lineup, despite Matt Burton from the Canterbury Bulldogs being named as 18th man when the squad was released on Monday evening.