Walker, Toia in Kangaroos' sights as Cleary ruled out
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Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters is set to lure Sydney Roosters centre Rob Toia from Tonga and has confirmed that his grand final team-mate Sam Walker may be just 80 minutes from World Cup selection after the loss of star halfback Nathan Cleary.
The Australian selectors are expected to announce their 23-man squad for Rugby League World Cup next Monday, following the NRL grand final, and the Roosters could have up to five players chosen – James Tedesco, Lindsay Collins, Reece Robson, Walker and Toia.
Toia represented Tonga during last year’s Pacific Championships but is also eligible for Australia and after being a shock selection for Queensland in last year’s State of Origin series he is now regarded as one of the best centres in the game.
After winning a personal duel with Dolphins superstar Herbie Farnworth in last Friday night’s preliminary final, Walters indicated that Toia was in Australia's sights for the World Cup on October 15 against the Kiwis at Allianz Stadium.
Two of the game's best centres on the big stage
Speaking on Fox League's Sunday Night with Matty Johns show, Walters interjected when Johns said Farnworth and Toia were set to face off again at the World Cup when England meet Tonga at Perth’s HBF Park on October 17.
“One of those guys might not be a part of the Tongan team,” Walters said. “They are two of the best centres in the game at the moment, and he (Toia) just gets himself in the game.
“He had some serious injuries earlier in his career, but he has managed to come back in the last couple of years and his form in Origin was very good.
"On Friday night against the Dolphins, Herbie would be the toughest centre to come up against, I reckon, but he did a great job. Herbie was very quiet I thought and he kept him out of the game."
Match: Australia v New Zealand
Round 1 -
home Team
Australia
away Team
New Zealand
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
With Cleary ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a compound fracture of his left ankle in a hip drop tackle which resulted in Newcastle and Kiwis hooker Phoenix Crossland being sent off during Sunday’s preliminary final, Walters confirmed Walker was in line for a Kangaroos call up.
Walker is locked in a three-way battle with Mitchell Moses and Tom Dearden to partner Cameron Munster in the halves.
Dearden was the bench utility in the Australian side during last year’s Ashes series against England, while Moses was the back-up to Cleary but didn’t see any game time in any of the three Tests.
However, Walker could be a premiership winning halfback when the Kangaroos squad is named after leading Sydney Roosters to a place in the grand final just four weeks after undergoing surgery for a syndesmosis injury.
Sam Walker with a finals masterclass!
Walker made his State of Origin debut for Queensland earlier this year and could finish the season as a World Cup player.
“I thought he was gone for the year but he has put himself right back in the frame, particularly with the injury to Nathan,” Walters said.
“We select the team on the Monday after the grand final so there are some big names and big players still involved in the NRL which is great for us because you don’t want to take a squad of guys into the World Cup who haven’t played for four or six weeks.”
Meanwhile, Cleary's Panthers team-mates Isaah Yeo and Dylan Edwards are in doubt for Australia's World Cup campaign, while Crossland's fate rests in the hands of the NRL judiciary.
Crossland was sent off in Newcastle's 22-14 elimination of Penrith and his case has been referred directly to the judiciary ahead of Sunday night's grand final.
Cleary injures leg as Crossland sent off
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary also revealed that Edwards had suffered a PCL injury and confirmed Yeo has been playing with a ruptured pec.
"We have probably just fallen apart a bit," Cleary told the post-match press conference at Accor Stadium.
"The guy sitting next to me (Yeo) is also playing with a full ruptured pec, which I don't know if that has been done before, and Dyl Edwards ruptured his PCL in the first half tonight, and he played on."
If Edwards is ruled out, it would open the door for the recall of Tedesco, who led Australia to victory at the last World Cup in England in 2022.
Yeo, who is the current Kangaroos captain, has repeatedly insisted he wants to play at the World Cup.
"I will have to talk to the club because it will affect the start of next season if I prolong it, so that is probably a conversation for next week with the staff," Yeo said.
Nathan Cleary had surgery on Sunday night after suffering a compound fracture of his left ankle in the tackle by Crossland.
On Monday, he posted a message of thanks for the well wishes.
When the incident occurred, his father Ivan was looking on from the coach’s box and the rest of his family in the stands at Accor Stadium, while team-mates gathered around Cleary before he was taken from the field on a medicab.
He watched the second half in an ambulance, with mother Rebecca riding in the front seat, after being taken to hospital for surgery.
The incident occurred just 10 minutes after Cleary had taken the field midway through the first half following the shock move to start him on the interchange due to a foot injury, which Ivan later revealed was broken.
"He's in hospital now just waiting for surgery," Cleary said post-game. "He will have to get the other foot done as well because that was broken.
"I think that's why I was even more emotional on what happened to him, how hard he worked and what he put himself through to get himself to play today."
Samoa also suffered a blow in Sunday’s preliminary final after Panthers back Blaize Talagi suffered an Achilles injury in the second half.
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