Robbie Farah was banned from flying to Coffs Harbour following surgery on his right hand, and the risk of infection in the cut where doctors inserted a plate and screws will prevent the NSW hooker from training until the weekend, but Blues coach Laurie Daley refuses to give up on him playing in next Wednesday's Origin decider.
Farah, who underwent surgery on Tuesday in a desperate bid to take his place in the Suncorp Stadium clash, was refused permission to board a flight in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon because of a Virgin Australia policy preventing passengers from flying within 24 hours of having a general anaesthetic.
With NSW team doctor Nathan Gibbs later providing a written medical clearance stating that Farah had been operated on at 5pm on Tuesday and the hooker flew north on a 7pm flight in a sign of how desperate the Wests Tigers captain is to start preparing for the Suncorp Stadium clash.
While Farah is unable to train before Saturday because of the high risk of infection within three days of having an operation, he will be able to receive treatment for the shoulder injury that Gibbs and Daley had expected would rule him out of the series after Origin I five weeks ago.
The injury, in which he ruptured three ligaments and had the collarbone separated from his left shoulder, was initially expected to sideline him for eight weeks, while the fractured metacarpal suffered in the Tigers' loss to Penrith on Sunday usually takes at least three weeks to heal.
Whether Farah is able to play in Origin III will depend on his ability to grip the ball as the dummy half handles it more than any other player and that will be affected by how quickly the swelling subsides.
The plate and pins inserted in the ring finger of his right hand should provide strength and reduce the pain caused by moving a broken bone, but he is given little chance of being able to play.
However, Daley won't give up on Farah after the 31-year-old stunned him and Gibbs by performing push-ups at a medical before the team for Origin II was announced at which they had expected him to be ruled out.
He proved his toughness by making 36 tackles as the Maroons forwards targeted his injured left shoulder.
Farah said on Tuesday that few people were aware of the work he had done around the clock to be able to play in NSW's 26-18 series-levelling win at the MCG and he would again be doing everything possible to take his place in the Blues team.
Melbourne's Ryan Hinchcliffe and Canterbury's Josh Reynolds shared the dummy half duties at training on Wednesday, but Cronulla veteran Michael Ennis will wear the No.9 jersey if Farah can't play.
Ennis is due to join the extended squad on Thursday after a judiciary hearing in Sydney on Wednesday night where he failed in his bid to beat a grade-one careless high tackle charge, while Reynolds has already left the camp to meet up with Bulldogs teammates at Kingscliff.
He is due to return on Friday to take part in an opposed session and provide injury cover for halves Trent Hodkinson and Mitchell Pearce.
Daley insisted Farah's delayed arrival had not caused any disruption to the Blues' preparations.
"We named an extended squad and brought in Ryan Hinchcliffe and Josh Reynolds as cover," Daley said. "Robbie wouldn't have been able to train tomorrow anyway, so it isn't a major inconvenience for the team."
Virgin Australia issued a statement late on Wednesday to clarify the reasons Farah had initially been prevented from flying.
"The safety and wellbeing of our guests is always our highest priority and we have detailed medical clearance guidelines in place to ensure this," the statement said.
"The guidelines, published on our website, prevent passengers from flying within 24 hours of having a general anaesthetic. For privacy reasons we are unable to provide information on specific passengers."
