Melbourne Storm winger Xavier Coates is still a few weeks away from returning to play, a setback that makes him unavailable for Queensland's State of Origin opener on May 27 and deepens Billy Slater's selection puzzle.
The Storm said on Thursday that Coates has not yet resumed full training after Achilles surgery in February. The club had originally said he would not be ready until Round 10 at the earliest, but that timeline was pushed back earlier this month, and the NRL website now lists a possible return around Round 14.
"Xavier’s running well but he's not ready for full training. We’re hoping Xavier will integrate into team training over the next two weeks. At this stage, he's still a few weeks away from returning to playing," Melbourne said.
The delay matters because Coates has already built a major record in Queensland colours, with 13 Origin games to his name, and he had been in contention for a quick return if his recovery moved faster. That hope is now gone, and Slater must build his backline without one of the Maroons' most established outside backs.
Queensland's wing race was already messy before Thursday's update. Valentine Holmes has been out of form for the Dragons, Murray Taulagi was left out of the Cowboys' Round 11 side because of concussion, and the club said he will also miss Round 12, just three days before Origin 1. Taulagi has not played in three weeks.
That leaves Slater weighing a group of alternatives, with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow a possible move to the wing and Robert Toia and Gehamat Shibasaki in the centres. Selwyn Cobbo and Jojo Fifita are also in the mix, and Fifita has made it clear he is ready if the call comes. "It would be the biggest achievement of my career if I was to make the Queensland team," he said. "If I got the call, I'd be ready and I would do everything I could to be at the top of my game."
There is another headache in the spine after Tom Dearden was ruled out for Queensland at halfback. Sam Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans now appear to be the front-runners there, though some believe Kalyn Ponga could shift into the halves. For Slater, the problem is no longer just who starts on the wing. It is how much of the backline he can keep together before the series even begins.
