'Hasn't progressed': Laurie Daley's worrying admission about Blues player for Game 2

Yahoo

12-06-2025

NSW coach Laurie Daley has provided a worrying update on Blues winger Brian To'o after admitting his recovery from a hamstring niggle has not progressed as much as medical staff had hoped. Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz was called into Blues camp on Wednesday as a potential replacement for To'o if the Panthers flyer is unable to recover in time for Game 2 in Perth, where NSW will hope to wrap up the series with another win.
To'o has already had two hamstring strains this year and missed the start of the NRL season for Penrith. And while Daley insists the injury hasn't 'flared up' and he remains hopeful the winger will be right to face the Maroons in Game 2, the NSW coach did concede on Thursday morning that the Blues' medical team were concerned the hamstring niggle had not improved as quickly as they expected.
"We thought earlier in the week Brian would be OK ... but it just hasn't progressed as far as what we need him to," Daley told Nine's Today Show. "We're still confident that he'll be OK, but we thought it'd be better off to have Jacob come here on standby if Brian doesn't get up.
"With hamstrings, they're tricky things. You want to make sure they're 100 per cent right to go. You can get through training. But then, of course game night, you don't want to injure yourself and then put the team at risk. We're just going to have to weigh up all those factors towards the end of the week."
Brian To'o is dealing with a hamstring niggle - is expected to play in Origin 2 but NSW have called Jacob Kiraz into camp as cover (via @Danny_Weidler)To'o has already suffered 2 hamstring strains this season - a call on his Origin fitness expected before Kiraz's Round 15 game. pic.twitter.com/jFJLR2gJ3m
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 11, 2025
Fellow NSW winger Zac Lomax was more defiant about the prospects of To'o playing in Game 2, and backed the Blues' medical team to ensure he would be good to go in just under a week. "He's obviously a professional and he's going to get the job done," Lomax told Fox League on Wednesday night. "And we've got the best staff in the world here with us so I think he'll sit out tomorrow's training session just in regards to loads.
"But on the flip side it gives someone like Jacob Kiraz a big boost to be able to come in and train with the squad. It's massive for him too, he's been playing unbelievable footy there at the Bulldogs. But for us we need to get 'Bizza' (To'o) right and I think that's him having the day off tomorrow and he'll be flying by Wednesday night."
To'o scored one try and ran for a game-high 225 metres in a standout performance for the Blues in Game 1 at Suncorp Stadium. His tackle-busting ability and willingness to tough carries from the back has frequently helped the Blues get out of their own half and dominate field position against the Maroons and it would be a big blow if To'o was ruled out.
Fortunately for NSW, Kiraz offers many of those same qualities and despite being less of a try-scoring weapon than To'o, he is more of an aerial threat and has an offloading game that could really hurt Queensland. Daley confirmed the Bulldogs star was training with the Blues squad for the first time on Thursday morning. Bulldogs teammate and Blues 18th man Matt Burton is another option to come into the NSW starting side if To'o is ruled out.