Cross out four weeks
NEWCASTLE and NSW enforcer Ben Cross has a broken thumb and will be out of action for four weeks.
Cross will miss the second State of Origin game in Brisbane but has already mapped out a recovery plan to be back for the potential decider at Homebush on July 2.
The 29-year-old prop said he sustained the injury at the start of the second half of his Origin debut, which the Blues won 18-10 at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.
Cross had x-rays on Thursday which confirmed the break in his left thumb, and he will have surgery next Wednesday to have it pinned.
"The bone's actually snapped off and has spun around up the wrong way, so the stability of my thumb isn't good and it won't stay where it's meant to stay," Cross said last night.
"I was actually sitting on the bus going to the game the other night thinking you've got to make the most of every State of Origin game you get because you never know when your next one might be.
"Injuries can be pretty cruel and, sure as hell, I got injured. That's just footy I guess."
Knights medical officer Neil Halpin said Cross, who also tore muscles in his calf and shoulder on Wednesday, would be sidelined for about four weeks.
Apart from being sidelined for Origin II at Suncorp Stadium on June 11, Cross will miss Newcastle's next three NRL games against the Warriors at EnergyAustralia Stadium next Saturday, the Bulldogs at ANZ on June 7 and the Cowboys in Townsville on June 16.
"Even if he hadn't broken his thumb, he'd be looking at a couple of weeks for his calf and shoulder so he's certainly in the wars," Dr Halpin said.
Cross, who missed Newcastle's first five games this season because of a fractured right wrist, had hoped to continue playing with his thumb in a brace, but Dr Halpin said that was not possible because the joint was "grossly unstable".
"That's just not practical, and could cause Ben some severe long-term problems," he said.
Cross has targeted the game against the Roosters at EAS on June 22 for his comeback, and NSW selectors will pick their team for Origin III two days later.
"I've spoken to the surgeon and told him I need to be playing that weekend of our game against the Roosters on June 22, and he's agreed to help me along those lines," Cross said.
"They pick the team for the third Origin after that weekend, so that's my goal.
"He's going to put two screws in it and I'll use the club's bone stimulator and he'll make up a guard or a brace and I'll heavily strap it. By then, it should be right to play with.
"I don't carry the ball in that hand anyway, and I should be able to tackle and catch the ball the way it is. He said it won't be healed 100 per cent but with the right strapping and a little guard made up for it, it will be playable.
"I did it in the first tackle of the second half and I knew something was wrong because I went to put it back in and it kept coming out."
Cross played for 12 minutes at the start of the second half and had the injury strapped when he was replaced. He returned for the final 10 minutes of the match.
"I've got a small tear in my right deltoid, which is more of an impact injury, and a very, very small tear in my left calf, which I think I also did in my first stint in the second half, but they should both be fine within a week or so," he said.
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