| Perry in Origin hunt after six years |
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| Written by Chris Wilson Daily Telegraph | ||
| Sunday, 05 July 2009 09:55 | ||
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MANLY firebrand Josh Perry says he is desperate to end a six-year absence from State of Origin and start "whacking a few Queenslanders". It has been 2217 days since his first and only Origin match in 2003, but Perry is back in calculations after injuries to Michael Weyman and Luke Bailey. There is also mounting pressure on his Manly team-mate Brent Kite to retain a Blues spot. If selected, the six-year gap between matches would be the third-longest in Origin. Brad Izzard had to wait nine years, or 3278 days, between 1982 and 1991, while Greg Florimo made an Origin comeback after almost seven years (2520 days) in 1995. "After the World Cup, I was pretty disappointed I didn't get a start in the final and since then really I've had my eye on Origin and the Four Nations at the end of the year,'' Perry said. "I was pretty disappointed I didn't make either of the first two (Origin games), but to have my name getting tossed up for the third one is good. I'm desperate to play for the Blues again. I've played in a few pretty big games of late and let nobody down, so I'm champing at the bit to get out there and rip into them Queenslanders.Perry's Origin career started with such promise, when the 22-year-old helped NSW to a 25-12 win in Game I in 2003. He was selected for Game II, but was then suspended for a match for striking Dragons backrower Lance Thompson. Perry admits he hasn't been in the hunt since. "To be honest, when I was in Newcastle after that my form didn't warrant it,'' he said. "I went into a bit of a down spiral after that Origin.'' http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25733467-5006066,00.html
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