New South Wales have been rocked just days out from the State of Origin decider, with star five-eighth Jarome Luai ruled out of the Wests Tigers’ clash against Manly due to a sudden infection.
Luai reportedly spent Thursday night in hospital and is now in a race against time to recover for the July 17 showdown at Suncorp Stadium. The setback not only hurts the struggling Tigers, who are on a five-game skid, but also throws the Blues' plans into uncertainty.
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With Luai sidelined, Tigers captain Api Koroisau will shift into the halves, while promising hooker Tallyn Da Silva will make a rare start at dummy-half in what could be his last appearance for the club.
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The news comes just 24 hours after Matt Burton starred for Penrith in their comeback win over the Bulldogs, a performance likely to secure him a spot in the NSW squad as a standby option should Luai not recover in time.
Tigers officials remain optimistic Luai will be fit for the Origin decider, but his withdrawal has sparked concern at both club and state level. Meanwhile, Da Silva's future appears all but settled, with a mid-season exit to a rival NRL side expected by Monday’s June 30 transfer deadline.
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Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson granted Da Silva permission to negotiate, acknowledging the 20-year-old’s desire to start regularly, something made unlikely with Koroisau set to re-sign and retain the No.9 jersey.
With interest from Manly and the Eels, a move looks imminent, potentially saving the Tigers up to $500,000 in cap space next year.