Cheers for starting the first SOO 2 thread, Peter! UH OH! Looks like the maroons might be a bit crook...that would make them the under(wait for it)dogs. How good is Barney Stinson? LOL!
PLAYERS have been quarantined and others were physically ill at training after a virus ripped through Camp Maroon disrupting Queensland’s preparations for Origin II.
Almost half the camp – including players and coaching and support staff – have been affected by the viral gastroenteritis since Thursday.
Jacob Lillyman failed to even attend yesterday’s training session at Sanctuary Cove and is reported to be the worst affected.
Matt Scott, Corey Oates and Aidan Guerra were separated from the main group and attempted to complete a light training session before Oates threw up and the players were packed off to their quarters to rest.
Coach Kevin Walters said the situation was not ideal but medical staff expected the virus, which has caused vomiting and diarrhoea, to have passed within the next 24 hours.
“That’s Origin... you think you’re in for smooth sailing and all of a sudden you hit a bit of rough water,” Walters said yesterday.
“But I don’t think it affects us too much.
“Hopefully, they’ll all be right for (tomorrow’s) training session; we need to get a few things right to be ready for the Blues on Wednesday.”
Walters said while several players had come down with the virus, Lillyman was the worst affected.
“Jacob (Lillyman) has probably been hit the worst, I suppose he’s a bigger body so the bug enjoys his system a bit better than others and he’s been knocked around a fair bit,” Walters said.
“Hopefully, he’ll be right.
“It’s up to six guys (players) that have had it now over the last couple of days but it’s not a major issue; it’s just one that we have to get on top of.”
Meanwhile, Michael Morgan says he will not carry the disappointment of his club performance against Cronulla into Origin II.
Morgan said he had been filthy after throwing the pass that led to an intercept try for Valentine Holmes in the Sharks’ 13-10 win against the Cowboys on Monday night.
“I was really annoyed after the game and the next day it was a bit hard to get over but JT said you’re not a good half until you’ve thrown an intercept,” Morgan said of the wise words from his captain Johnathan Thurston.
“That helps a little bit coming from him. I won’t take it into this game or anything.”
But he said the loss could help prepare the Maroons’ Cowboys contingent ahead of the clash against the Blues.
“It was a real grinding game and it was a very physical side on Monday night,” he said yesterday.
Morgan, who has made the Queensland and Australian utility role his own over the past 12 months, said he had not been surprised the Blues decided to give their utility Dylan Walker another run on Wednesday.
“It doesn’t change anything for me; they’ll probably look to get him on there a little bit earlier and see what he can do,” Morgan said.
http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...m/news-story/c7e55e87a10ddf15fcb6133f95ed25f6
