Gold Coast captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui hoping to back up for Titans after nasty eye injury
Gold Coast are sweating on the availability of captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui after he was wearing the scars of battle following his return to the State of Origin arena.
The Maroons prop, who missed last season with an ACL rupture, had stitches in a badly cut left eye that had gone black after the 18-6 loss to NSW on Wednesday night.
Of concern was the swelling around his eye socket area.
AAP was told the Titans skipper may require scans to confirm there is no fracture as he aims to line up on Saturday afternoon against his former club Melbourne.
'I pride myself on backing up from Origin. I intend to play,' he said.
'I hope to be back again (for game two of the Origin series) in Perth but first of all I want to perform for the Titans against the Storm.'
Fa'asuamaleaui won a title with Melbourne in 2020 and it is a match he always marks on his calendar.
Fellow Gold Coast and Maroons forwards Moeaki Fotuaika and Beau Fermor have been cleared to play at Cbus Super Stadium.
North Queensland quartet Jeremiah Nanai, Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden and Reece Robson were also cleared of any injuries and should back up against Wests Tigers on Saturday night.
Brisbane had two players involved in Origin - NSW's man of the match Payne Haas and Maroons lock Pat Carrigan.
Both were set for medicals on Thursday morning ahead of Saturday night's away clash with Manly.
Haas battled a quad injury in the 10 days leading up to Origin but still was the best player on the park in a remarkable display.
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