RUGBY LEAGUE
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Former Eels fullback Justin Hunt is poised to make an NRL return while coach Paul McGregor could also unleash the YouTube sensation Luke Page for the Dragons clash with the Cowboys on Saturday.
Jason Nightingale was this week named at fullback in place of NSW star Josh Dugan but was ruled out on Friday having failed to overcome an ankle injury suffered in the Dragons’ round 15 loss to the Roosters.
Hunt - who played 14 NRL games in three seasons with the Rabbitohs and Eels - trained at fullback in Friday’s captain’s run and looks likely to fill the void at No1, although Peter Mata’utia shifting to fullback and Charly Runciman coming into the centres is also an option.
‘‘Justin trained with us [on Friday] and so did Peter who ran [at fullback] a bit as well,’’ McGregor said. ‘‘It’s good to have that experience there in that position if needed. We’ll just wait and see tomorrow who we play there.’’
Hunt joined the Dragons on a one-year deal in February and has been a standout performer for the Illawarra Cutters with 10 tries in 12 games.
McGregor is confident the 26-year-old is up to the task if given the opportunity.
‘‘He’s played very well at stages in the NSW Cup and he’s working hard on the consistency in his game,’’ McGregor said.
‘‘He’s probably been let down a bit in the past 12 months in his career when he hasn’t really got an opportunity.
‘‘If he does get one, you’d expect that he’ll be at his best ... when you haven’t played first grade for a period and you’ve been in systems you need to play well to get a job.’’
In addition to Origin stars Dugan and Trent Merrin, Nightingale heads a long list of unavailable players that includes Joel Thompson (hamstring) Jack de Belin (knee infection) Will Matthews (suspension) Dylan Farrell (back) and Rory O’Brien (ankle).
Back-rower Tyson Frizell wasn’t named on Tuesday but partially completed Friday’s captain’s run and could be a late inclusion.
‘‘He’s the one I’m looking at giving that extra 12 hours to see how he pulls up [on Saturday] morning,’’ McGregor said.
‘‘He’s a very important part of our football team. Both our back-rowers are and they were playing regularly for 80 minutes in the first eight to 10 weeks.
‘‘They haven’t been able to do that over the last four or five and it’s affecting our football team.
‘‘[Having] Will Matthews suspended doesn’t help.
‘‘Usually you can have one back-rower out but having all three means the ‘middle’ will have to play a few more minutes.’’
And O’Brien’s syndesmosis injury suffered on Wednesday could pave the way for either Page or former Titan Mark Ioane to debut for the club barely 48 hours after arriving in Wollongong.
‘‘They didn’t come here to play reserve grade, they came here to play first grade,’’ McGregor said.
‘‘Luke was Player of the Year in the Queensland Cup [last year] and has been in the Canberra system and playing strong for Mounties while Mark’s played first grade this year for the Gold Coast. ‘‘The recruitment guys did well to bring them in so you might see them out there.’’