Eels rookie Marcus Perenara has emerged as a possible bolter to wear the No 7 jersey in the Anzac test as the Kiwis recover from the news that ace No 6 Benji Marshall is out.
Marshall dislocated his shoulder playing against the Cowboys on Friday night, sidelining him for two
months.
Marshall was almost inconsolable in the Wests Tigers dressing room afterwards and Kiwi coach Brian McClennan might have had a tear in his eye too. It will rob him of his most potent attacking player for the May 5 test.
Marshall's injury has complicated an already difficult scenario in the halves with Stacey Jones out with a broken arm, Lance Hohaia struggling for form in the Bartercard Cup and Thomas Leuluai facing an energy-sapping journey from the UK that McClennan might be reluctant for him to take.
McClennan may now consider either Jerome Ropati or Nigel Vagana for the No 6 jersey against the Kangaroos. Ropati has been solid for the Warriors there in recent weeks and Vagana, who played five-eighths for much of last year's Tri-Nations, is expected to return soon for the Sharks after off-season ankle surgery.
Perenara, the brother of Henry who has played more than 60 NRL games, might be an option at No 7. He makes his NRL debut from the interchange bench this afternoon against Penrith when he is expected to spend some time at five-eighths.
"If he can play four or five NRL games and play well, he is a chance, a very good chance," McClennan said. "We could look at Lance [Hohaia] as a No 9 and a back up No 7, but I think you've got to be playing NRL or Super League to play in a test."
McClennan has yet to hear whether Karmichael Hunt will declare his allegiance to the Kiwis.
-HERALD ON SUNDAY
