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Important SN update for SouthlandCritta-cal: Stephen Crichton sends injury scare through Blues camp
Sam Kosack • May 26th, 2025 3:47 pm
NSW centre Stephen Crichton has limped from Blues training, two days out from the men’s State of Origin season opener.
Crichton failed to finish the Blues training session and was seen leaving training with ice on his quad.
Rabbitohs’ centre Campbell Graham is on standby as 18th man should Crichton not be able to play, however, Blues officials are hoping the Bulldogs’ captain has only suffered a cork.
Should Crichton have only suffered a cork, he would be expected to play in the series opener, given there is still 40 hours until kick off.
Channel 7 sports reporter Jelisa Apps was at Blues training when Crichton left and told SEN 1170 Afternoons, Crichton is likely going for scans.
“(Stephen Crichton) looks like he’s got a cork in his quad he left while we were doing interviews… he had ice on the quad and left separately which suggests to me he’s going for scans," Apps said.
“He had ice on the quad, and he left separately which to me suggests perhaps he's going for scans, if you're not leaving with the team.
“I was told he just wanted to get back to the hotel earlier, but I am curious that he might be going to get a few scans on that.
“It looks like maybe he's picked that up in the opposed session… with Wynnum Manly today but, again, we can’t watch that session. We can only watch the warm-up, and he was certainly fine in that.
“I suspect maybe going for scans, but I haven’t been told if that’s the case.”
The star centre entered camp with a groin injury that initially restricted his training, having played the Bulldogs Round 11 clash with the injury.
Blues star prop Payne Haas has also been under an injury cloud all camp with a groin injury suffered in Round 11 against the Dragons.
Blues officials are still hopeful the Broncos’ prop will line up in Game I. Storm prop Stefano Utoikamanu remains on standby should Haas not be cleared to play.
Jelisa Apps provided an update on Haas’ condition, and said the Blues could afford to give Haas up until kick off to prove his fitness.
“He was warming up by himself but apparently did most of the session,” Apps said.
“They were a little bit cagey about just how much he did but they didn’t seem too worried about it.
“He's one of those players where they're happy to rest him almost up until game day, if that's what it takes because it's not like a half where you need to sort of get those combinations going.”
