Positive news gives McManus chance of Origin recall

JAMES McManus's hopes of forcing his way back into the NSW side for the third State of Origin game were boosted yesterday when MRI scans revealed no serious damage to his ankle.Scans showed the 23-year-old winger has ligament damage in his left ankle, which could allow him to return to the field in the Knights' round-17 clash with Melbourne at Olympic Park on July 4.That would give McManus one match to force his way back into the Blues Origin side for game three in Brisbane on July 15.The Knights have the bye this weekend.That means McManus may miss only the Knights' round-16 game against South Sydney at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Monday, June 29."He's got some ligament damage on both sides of the ankle, but nothing serious," Knights medical officer Neil Halpin said last night."He certainly doesn't require surgery and we're hoping to get him back on the field in probably three weeks."He might be ready for the game after Souths or might be another week. You wouldn't rule him out of the third State of Origin either."McManus injured his ankle in the sixth minute of Newcastle's 13-0 loss to the New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium last Friday night.The injury has allowed Manly flyer David Williams to take McManus's spot on the Blues wing. Initially it was feared the reliable McManus might have have torn his Achilles tendon or ruptured his ankle ligaments, which would have required season-ending surgery.Halpin said McManus would begin physiotherapy this week and that he was already showing signs of improvement."He's in a brace, but we'll get him out of that later in the week, get him some physio, and see how he goes from there," he said.