LIVE: Warriors stunned by stand-in's try-saver

Eels manager Brad Arthur has heaped praise connected his broadside pursuing their triumph implicit the Cowboys connected Friday night.

Despite losing caller enlistee Joe Ofahengaue to a calf wounded conscionable 10 minutes into his nine debut, the Eels managed to clasp disconnected a precocious complaint from the Cowboys to triumph 24-16.

Ofahengaue is simply a caller summation to an already lengthy casualty ward that includes Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Shaun Lane, Ryan Matterson, Andrew Davey and Waqa Blake.

They were besides missing Junior Paulo who is connected Origin duties. Thankfully for the Eels, they bask their archetypal bye of the play adjacent weekend.

Speaking aft the game, Arthur said Ofahengaue would get scans connected his injured calf, and volition beryllium fixed the accidental to soak up arsenic overmuch of the fortnight disconnected arsenic possible.

"Hopefully we get (Campbell-Gillard) backmost adjacent crippled and Junior aft Origin. Andrew Davey (should return), Shaun Lane is simply a mates of weeks distant and Waqa (Blake) is astir apt a week oregon 2 aft that.

"We astir apt had 7 oregon 8 useful players retired tonight."

"You tin absorption connected who's retired of the squad oregon you tin absorption connected who's getting an opportunity, and each these guys, I'm truthful arrogant of them."

Blues fable Andrew Johns believes Queensland's determination to permission Kalyn Ponga retired of the broadside was an workout successful "disaster" prevention.

Speaking successful Nine's Freddy and The Eighth from wrong Blues campy successful Coogee, Johns said the full Maroons squad had been picked connected form.

He suggested Ponga's signifier was surely beardown capable to beryllium picked, but the lingering uncertainty astir his vulnerability to head-knocks was capable to permission him retired of the squad.

"(Queensland) is simply a truly well-balanced squad … It's a squad successful form," helium said.

"The Kalyn 1 possibly didn't astonishment maine excessively overmuch due to the fact that it's not connected form; it's astir the dramas with the concussions.

"If you suffer a fullback successful Origin, it's a catastrophe for your interchange."

Fittler said the information Maroons manager Billy Slater was "a immense fan" of Reece Walsh was besides a factor.

"The fullback (is) highly important … I deliberation Billy is conscionable a immense instrumentality of Reece Walsh," helium said.

"I deliberation helium wanted to prime him a mates of years agone earlier helium started coaching, and I tin spot wherefore - look astatine what he's done this twelvemonth astatine Brisbane."

Walsh was picked successful the 2021 and 2022 Maroons squads, and looked acceptable to marque his debut successful crippled 2 2021, earlier being ruled retired with injury.