NSW enforcer Tyson Frizell has been given the green light to take his place for State of Origin I after returning to full training.
Frizell came through his first contact session on Monday after being limited during the first week of Blues camp because of concussion protocols.
The St George Illawarra back-rower ran in an opposed session against the NSW under-18s at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park.
He had been restricted to fitness drills and light duty for the first seven days of the team’s preparation after a sickening head clash with Josh Dugan in the Dragons’ loss to Cronulla.
Frizell shed the non-contact bib on Monday after passing a battery of concussion tests.
“It was good to get that out of the way. I’ve got the captain’s run to go but that’s fairly light and then I’ll just get mentally prepared for Wednesday,” Frizell said after the team touched down at Brisbane Airport.
“(The tests) were all fine. We do a baseline every year on a computer. I did that Friday and Saturday. I got through today fine.”
The Blues brought the Wests Tigers’ Ryan Matterson into camp as cover, however he will not be needed.
He was never in any serious doubt and always maintained he would be fit. But it still represents welcome relief for coach Brad Fittler.
He will have one final training session with the side during Tuesday’s captain’s run at Suncorp Stadium.
His interrupted preparation has given him limited time to gel with right-side partners Nathan Cleary, Josh Morris and Nick Cotric.
“No dramas at all. You’d like to jump in sooner rather than later but these things have to be done,” Frizell said.
“It’s a good thing for players to follow because, in the past, you would have said ‘yeah, sweet, I’m ready to go’ the next day. I’m right to go now.”