By Michelle Pickles
Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney didn’t want to see second rower Adam Blair on ice after rolling his ankle at training, just hours after Kearney named his side to play Australia.
“It’s just a very mild sprain so its a precaution icing him up compression on it. Just see how he goes in the next 24 hours,” says team doctor Simon Mayhew.
Just minutes later hooker Nathan Fien was also missing from the training field.
“Nathan just pulled up himself said his hammy was getting a little tight. As a precaution he decided that was the end of training for him. We'll have a close look at him back at the hotel but he's feeling comfortable no worse than he was this time last week,” Dr Mayhew says.
Neither player is considered in doubt for the match.
“We'll see what they're like 24 hours gives us a little bit of hindsight there,” says Dr Mayhew.
The team’s hoping Simon Mannering will continue to be their good luck charm at centre. The Warriors captain lined up there for the World Cup win and last years Four Nations victory.
Captain Benji Marshall would like nothing better than a win. He's spent the early part of this season trying to pick up his life off the field and he admits the distractions have made his on field performances difficult at times.
“I’m not going to lie there’s things I don't like that have been hard to deal with, and a couple of things that affected my football in a couple of games, but at the same time I feel like I’m strong enough to get through that,” he says.
Marshall will need to draw on that strength if his Kiwis are to secure their first ever Anzac win on Australian soil.
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