South Sydney centre Dylan Walker has been flown up to Coffs Harbour to provide cover for the outside backs in Laurie Daley's NSW VB Blues squad.
Despite playing this weekend in his side's surprise 34-6 loss to Wests Tigers, the in-form outside back could be required to lace on the boots for a Holden State of Origin debut at the MCG on Wednesday night if misadventure befalls any of the Blues centres or wingers, though it is likely a specialist – probably Manly's Brett Stewart – would be called up if first-choice custodian Josh Dugan is injured.
Neither centres Michael Jennings and Josh Morris, nor wingers Will Hopoate or Brett Morris, are under any sort of injury cloud, with the move purely as insurance as well as development for a star on the rise seen as a future Origin representative.
Walker made his Test debut in last year's Four Nations series, albeit with a host of other outside backs unavailable.
Walker's 2015 season has been punctuated by injury with a broken thumb keeping him on the sidelines for a month.
He returned to form with a bang against the Warriors in Perth in Round 13, with two tries and a try assist as well as three line breaks, five tackle breaks and 153 running metres. He laid on his side's only try, to winger Alex Johnston, in last night's loss to the Tigers, and overall has six tries and four try assists in 10 games this season, averaging 105 metres.
The Blues completed their first contact session of the camp on Saturday morning, against a squad that included local Coffs Harbour players. They will have one more opposed session on Sunday before flying to Melbourne.
