Trent Barrett is all but resigned to missing the start of the State of Origin series, with the incumbent NSW five-eighth almost certain to undergo ankle surgery next week.

Barrett will have x-rays on Sunday and expects to have an arthroscope no matter what the result of those scans - ruling him out for up to six weeks.

That would cost him a chance to play in the opening two Origin games and put him in serious danger of missing the entire series.

"That's the furtherest thing from my mind at the moment," Barrett said of Origin.

"I just want to get better and I need to find the problem. I'm just sick of it. I haven't been able to train for the five weeks I have been playing. It's just shocking."

Barrett admitted the only way he could avoid surgery was if the ankle had a break - and that would mean a cast and even longer out of the game.

"Either way I'll be (gone) for while," Barrett said.

"We have to find the problem."

Barrett injured his right ankle in City's 17-16 win over Country at Gosford and will have x-rays before visiting an ankle surgeon in the next two to three days.

"We won't know a best case scenario until we have done further investigation over the next few days," Dragons doctor Martin Raftery said.

"Until then Trent will ice and rest his ankle."

The incumbent NSW and Australian five-eighth broke his right ankle in the pre-season and has been struggling with pain in the area ever since.

The incumbent NSW and Australian five-eighth limped off 24 minutes into the City and Country game and admitted afterwards he had been feeling pain in the ankle all week leading into the match.

The injury has also thrown the spotlight on NSW's depth in the No.6 jersey, with Braith Anasta the obvious replacement after playing solidly for City.

However, NSW selector Bob Fulton indicated Melbourne's Scott Hill, scheduled to make his return from a shoulder injury for Melbourne next weekend, was still in contention.

Hill hasn't played since the Storm's round seven loss to North Queensland but Melbourne officials today confirmed he was in line to be back for the club's game against Parramatta next weekend.

"I guess Braith Anasta would be the favourite," Fulton said on Sydney radio station 2GB.

"Scott Hill should be back by then so he could come into contention as well."

Hill has played five games for NSW and four Tests for Australia, but was overlooked when NSW selectors named a preliminary 33-man squad for this year's series last month.

Meanwhile, NSW chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy has defended last night's City-Country trial following claims it lacked intensity.

"I can't believe people said it wasn't played with any ferocity," McCarthy said.

"You go in the dressing room after the game and both sides were stuffed. I don't what know they're critical of.

"The blokes went well last night. What do they want? Look at guys like Andrew Johns, he worked his arse off. Those blokes are fair dinkum."

McCarthy said he was happy with the trial, apart from the injury to Barrett.

"I am sorry we lost Trent Barrett," McCarthy said.

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