NRL: Hurell out of Kiwis Four Nations campaign

Konrad Hurrell is out of New Zealand's Four Nations campaign, requiring surgery to a fractured wrist. Photo / Getty Images

Warriors centre Konrad Hurrell is out of the Kiwis' Four Nations campaign.

The powerful 23-year-old, who played for Tonga at last year's World Cup, looked set to be a key man for New Zealand this year but has been withdrawn from the train-on squad by his club.

Hurrell has been booked in for surgery on his right wrist, for a fracture that has only recently been picked up.

"Konrad has a scaphoid fracture on his right wrist," Warriors doctor John Mayhew said. "We think he probably did it in May or June but it wasn't picked up at the time and Konrad didn't tell anybody about it.

"It didn't impede him in any of his games - apart from probably causing some pain - and it's an injury that can be easily missed by x-rays. It was picked up with a recent scan and needs to be sorted out."

Hurrell will have surgery within the next month. The recovery time means he's also unlikely to be in contention for January's NRL Nines at Eden Park but will be back in time for February's pre-season trials.

It's a significant blow for the Kiwis, coming on the back of Ben Henry's earlier withdrawal - the second-rower had knee surgery on Friday. Hurrell was one of the strongest performers for the Warriors in the second half of the season, achieving a level of consistency not seen before in his career.

The time was right to inject him into the Kiwis mix, especially as Stephen Kearney is not blessed with great depth in the crucial centre position.

Aside from Dean Whare and Shaun Kenny-Dowall, there are few other options. Steve Matai is unavailable, Ngani Laumape is probably too raw, Gerard Beale is solid but far from spectacular and Bryson Goodwin showed at the World Cup he's not up to international level.

Hurrell could have been a perfect wildcard, the kind of guy who strikes genuine fear into the opposition and can win a game in the last 10.

The Kiwis have a history of explosive game breakers out wide - think Kevin Iro in 1987 and 1988, Richie Blackmore and Jarrod McCracken in 1991 and Vinnie Anderson in 2003.

Whare and Kenny Dowall are respected performers, but neither can create something out of nothing like Hurrell. His presence would have given the Kiwis a genuine weapon out wide, to counter punch the threat of the likes of Greg Inglis and Jarryd Hayne.

It also means that someone like Lewis Brown comes back into contention. The Penrith utility hasn't been picked by Kearney since 2011 but his ability to play in both the second row or centre could appeal.

The news is also a blessing in disguise for the Warriors. Last year Hurrell reported back after the World Cup completely out of shape and 10kg overweight. It meant he couldn't have a proper pre-season and wasn't in contention as a starting player until almost a quarter of the season was gone. He eventually regained full fitness, which paid dividends in the second half of the year.

If he played in the Four Nations, he would be entitled to six weeks leave after that, meaning he wouldn't report back for club duties until mid-January.

Under the current scenario, he will commence pre-season training in five weeks, when the Warriors report back to work, depending on his recovery from surgery.