Cruel twist denies Cowboys prop an Origin debut
JORDAN Mclean has been left shattered by a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of a dream State of Origin debut for New South Wales.
The 30-year-old Cowboys bookend broke down in tears after injuring his hamstring at NSW Blues training on Thursday morning.
“I’m absolutely gutted. The hardest part will be telling my family,”
Mclean said.
Jacob Saifiti will make his Blues debut in Mclean’s place.
The Knights forward has been drafted into the NSW squad.
“I don’t know what to say. It is pretty disappointing”, Mclean said. “I did it at training today.
“My career has been full of ups and downs and I have kind of been used to this but I thought this was the light at the end of the tunnel getting this opportunity but it wasn’t meant to be.
“I was just doing normal things at training and I just don’t know what to say.
“I don’t feel too good at the moment.
“I still haven’t talked to the family yet and that is going to be the hardest thing – telling my young fellas that I’m not going to be playing.
“When you get these opportunities. You don’t know when they are going to happen again.”
Mclean played eight tests for Australian between 2017 and 2018, including a victorious Rugby League World Cup campaign, but had never represented his home state in State of Origin.
Mclean was one of nine Cowboys called into Origin squads this week, the most representatives of any in the NRL.
Mclean was sent from the Blues Kingscliff camp for scans on the Gold Coast but had not received his results by time of deadline.
Cowboys officials were still unsure of its severity on Thursday.