Latrell Mitchell is out of the State of Origin series opener at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night with a calf strain.
The Rabbitohs fullback was picked to play in the centres, but has been ruled out after scans revealed the extent of the strain.
He will not travel to Adelaide with the rest of the Blues squad on Monday morning, and has been replaced in the side by Stephen Crichton.
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Mitchell didn’t finish training on Sunday night, and joked with the Sydney Morning Herald he was “a bit cold”.
“I thought I’d give Nicho [Hynes] and Critta [Stephen Crichton] a run out there,” he said.
It wasn’t until later in the evening the extent of the injury became apparent.
The injury is believed to be only minor, and his fitness for game two on June 21 is not in doubt.
For Crichton, it’s the second Origin promotion in the space of a week. Having originally been left out of the squad, the Panthers centre was made 18th man after Campbell Graham was withdrawn with a sternum injury.
In a statement the Blues confirmed Bulldogs half Matt Burton would travel to Adelaide on Monday afternoon as the new 18th man.
It’s the second injury scare to rip through Brad Fittler’s camp after Payne Haas spent much of Friday’s training session in the grand stands at Coogee Oval with an ankle injury.
He completed Sunday’s training session, and is not believed to be in doubt for the series-opener.
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