Penrith hooker Peter Wallace is officially a scratching from Origin I after scans revealed he’ll be out for at least a month with a groin injury.
The Panthers say Wallace suffered a grade two adductor tear and could miss up to six weeks.
Wallace suffered the injury in the first half of Penrith’s 30-20 win over Newcastle yesterday, just 24 hours before he was tipped to be named at hooker for the Blues for next week’s Origin opener in Brisbane.
It’s understood Wallace was part of the NSW camp this morning but was delivered the bad news by medical staff a short time ago.
Meanwhile, it’s possible that Bryce Cartwright will require surgery after suffering a knee injury against the Knights yesterday. He has a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee and will meet with a surgeon later in the week.
The injuries will force Panthers coach Anthony Griffin to make significant changes to his spine for the club’s next match against Canterbury in a fortnight.
Mitch Rein is the most likely choice to replace Wallace, while Cartwright’s injury could see Te Maire Martin return to first grade, or Matt Moylan make the switch to five-eighth.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.