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Jasper Bruce and Alex Mitchell

Haas still a chance to face Cowboys

Brisbane football boss Ben Ikin says he wouldn't be surprised if prop Payne Haas withstood the pain of a syndesmosis injury and lined up against North Queensland on Saturday night.

Haas suffered the injury playing for NSW in Sunday night's second State of Origin game and left Optus Stadium in a moon boot.

He went in for scans on Monday and, while the Broncos aren't expecting to receive the results until later on Tuesday, Ikin said Haas was still a chance to play in the Queensland NRL derby.

"He had a low grade syndesmosis but we'll find out more this morning," Ikin told SEN.

"The bloke is so single-minded and has this capacity to push through the pain barrier, it wouldn't surprise me if the results come back OK and he plays against the Cowboys."

Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds is set to return from a rib injury and play in Townsville, having made it through training on Monday unscathed.

The match will mark both the 100th NRL appearance and club debut of North Queensland recruit Luciano Leilua.

Meanwhile, Melbourne are set to make a call on the fitness of Queensland five-eighth Cameron Munster.

Munster was seen with ice on his left shoulder after Origin II and only arrived back to Melbourne on Monday afternoon.

He is in doubt for the Storm's clash with rivals Manly on Thursday night while fellow Maroon Felise Kaufusi won't be in the line-up due to family reasons.

Forward Kaufusi is flying to the US today to be with his father Taniela, who has been hospitalised in Los Angeles.

It's unknown when he will return, or whether the trip will affect his status for July 13's Origin series decider at Suncorp Stadium.

Manly's Origin pair Jake Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans are set to back up and play against Melbourne on Thursday.

Both men had Tuesday off training but pulled up well in the days following NSW's win.

"As far as I know, they'll play," Sea Eagles hooker Lachlan Croker said.

Their Manly teammate Josh Aloiai will miss the game though, having suffered a serious head knock playing for Samoa in representative round.

Aloiai narrowly avoided leaving the field on a stretcher against the Cook Islands but was up and about observing Manly training on Tuesday.

"It's safety first. As a game moving forward, we've got to respect that," Manly utility Dylan Walker said.

"He'll miss this week. We'd love for him to be out there but player welfare has got to come first."

Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga has already been ruled out of Newcastle's match against Gold Coast, having suffered a head knock in Sunday's Origin defeat in Perth.

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