Maroons halfback Cooper Cronk heads a casualty ward of battered players with at least six stars suffering serious injury in last night's State of Origin opener.
Cronk suffered a suspected broken arm tackling Ryan Hoffman early in the first half of the Blues' courageous 12-8 win to lead a cast of wounded players from a match regarded as one of the great Origin clashes.
Despite winning, NSW fared worst in the injury stakes with four players hurt and in doubt for Origin II.
Wing hero Brett Morris, who scored a try and prevented Queensland opposite Darius Boyd from scoring at the death, dislocated his shoulder, while twin, Josh, sustained a suspected posterior cruciate ligament tear.
Both bravely soldiered on, with Josh picking himself up from the sideline, moments after being injured, to pull off a try-saving tackle on a runaway Maroons centre Greg Inglis late in the second half.
Blues captain Paul Gallen suffered a neck injury after being whiplashed in a tackle from behind by Maroons forward Josh Papali and is in doubt for Origin II.
And Anthony Watmough sustained a suspected torn bicep that could possibly end his season.
On top of Cronk's injury, Maroons captain Cameron Smith sustained ligament damage to his left ankle in a horror night for the Melbourne Storm, while replacement halfback Daly Cherry-Evans was also left limping after the game with a leg injury.
For the Blues, the injuries come on top of the likelihood five-eighth Josh Reynolds will also miss Origin II after being slugged with a grade two charge for his flipping tackle on Brent Tate.
It now means Laurie Daley will have to find another pivot - which would be the Blues' 17th halves combination since the Maroons' eight-straight series winning run began.
More:
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8852115
Topic: Brutal injury toll out of epic Origin clash
