Green tells O’Neill to focus on his club duties
HIS Australia jumper could be on the line, but Cowboys coach Paul Green wants Justin O’Neill to focus purely on bouncing back against Newcastle after a forgettable return from injury last week.
O’Neill and Knights gun Dane Gagai are among the main chances to snare the Kangaroos right centre jersey made vacant by Greg Inglis’ season-ending knee injury against New Zealand in Canberra on May 5. Although Gagai has only scored one try for the lastplaced Knights, he has been dangerous all year.
O’Neill endured a torrid time in last week’s loss to the Dragons after three weeks out with a hamstring injury, particularly defensively as opposite number Tim Lafai scored a double.
Asked if Australia selection would be in the back of O’Neill’s mind, Green said: “Hopefully not. Hopefully all that’s in their (our players’) mind is about doing a good job for our team.
“Whatever happens outside of that, that’s the best thing they can do to affect that (selection).
“It was his (O’Neill’s) first game back after being out for a fair while, so you’d expect him to be a little bit rusty.
“Probably not as rusty as he was but he’s fine, I’ve got no doubts he’ll bounce back this week.”
O’Neill’s Kangaroos hopes have been boosted with coach Mal Meninga telling Queenslanders Only on Fox League this week he intends to be loyal to players who helped Australia reclaim the Four Nations trophy in England last year.
O’Neill made his international debut with two appearances in the preliminary rounds of the tournament.
“My inkling at the moment is to obviously acknowledge and reward those who went on the Four Nations tour and we won that fairly convincingly, so that’s probably the path we’ll take,” Meninga said.
Former international centre Justin Hodges pressed hard for inclusion of Gagai, who scored a hat-trick for Queensland in Origin Two last year.
“I think he’s been great. Playing for a side who’s coming last in the competition, he hasn’t dropped his bundle and hasn’t gone into his shell,” Hodges said.
“He’s still been one of the best centres in the competition.”