After casting self-pity aside over his latest injury setback, Sydney Roosters back-rower Boyd Cordner is confident he has done enough in his first game back from an ankle complaint to warrant selection in the NSW side for State of Origin III.
After missing six weeks with a syndesmosis injury, the Kangaroos’ back-rower enjoyed a solid return to in the premiers’ NRL loss to Manly on Friday night, including a try with his second touch of the football.
It is the second time in his short career Cordner has had to deal with missing big games due to injury, but the second time he has showed his determination in returning ahead of schedule.
The 22-year-old suffered the same injury to his opposite ankle in the lead-up to last year’s finals series, before returning in the Roosters’ epic grand final victory over the Sea Eagles.
“At the start there’s obviously the thought of ‘why me’, but the longer you stay like that the longer it’s going to hinder your recovery and all that sort of stuff,” he said.
“I had really good people around me and I was pretty positive. I went through it last year with my other ankle, so I stayed pretty positive.
“I suppose it was pretty good and everything went my way recovery-wise.
“It was really hard. It wasn’t good timing but that’s footy. It can either go two ways. You can feel sorry for yourself or you can work hard and try and get back out there as soon as you can.”
With Anthony Watmough sidelined due to suspension as NSW chase their first series clean sweep since 2000 at Suncorp Stadium on July 9, Cordner shapes as his likely replacement when Blues coach Laurie Daley names his team on Tuesday.
Cordner is hopeful his has done enough to justify selection.
“I feel like I’ve done enough fitness-wise, it’s just how the selectors and Laurie want to go and how they want to play game three up there,” Cordner said.
“We’ll just wait and see. If I get picked, I’ll be ready 100 per cent. Putting on that sky-blue jersey, you grow another leg.
“I’ll be honoured but we just have to see what happened.”
