JUSTIN Hodges' moment of madness has all but ruined the Queensland centre's Origin campaign with his dangerous throw on Parramatta hooker Mark Riddell set to rub him out for six matches.
The Cairns product copped a grade three dangerous throw charge yesterday that, coupled with loading for previous offences and 93 carry-over points, will carry a six-match ban with an early guilty plea.
It could rise to eight games if he fights the charge and loses at the NRL judiciary, but six weeks is more than enough to wipe him out of Origins II and III.
"When Hodgo got into strife I was down the coast watching that game, it was a bit of a sick feeling in my stomach at the time," Queensland chairman of selectors Des Morris said.
The Queensland team is named today.
But that someone else is unlikely to be Scott Prince, the Gold Coast playmaker initially favoured to win a recall on the bench in a reshuffled backline.
That bench spot is now likely to go to Karmichael Hunt, with Billy Slater keeping his No. 1 jumper.
Manly veteran Steve Bell, who has not played for a month, is in the mix to take Hodges’ centre spot, but his lack of match fitness could open the door for Brisbane’s Darius Boyd to make his Origin debut on the wing with Brent Tate moving into the
centres.
Boyd is proven under the high ball and can also shift between wing and fullback. The news was slightly better for NSW winger Jarryd Hayne, but the Parramatta youngster also looks likely to be an Origin II casualty because of a two-match ban for an indiscretion similar to Hodges’.
Hayne could escape punishment with a downgrading at the NRL judiciary tomorrow night, but Eels coach Michael Hagan said the club would not fight the charge just for the sake of Origin selection. North Queensland lock Luke O’Donnell, who was considered a strong chance for NSW selection, is facing three separate charges, including one for abusing a touch judge, after an eventful night at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.
O’Donnell was also hit with two separate grade two striking charges after his elbow hit the jaw of Penrith hooker Luke Priddis and halfback Luke Lewis
either side of halftime.
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