Rugby convert and Origin debutant Joseph Sua’ali’i made a statement in the 8th minute that robbed all fans of the game.
If it wasn’t already an uphill battle for the underdog Blues, Joseph Sua’ali’i made it Mission Impossible when he knocked out Reece Walsh in the 7th minute of play.
The 8th minute send-off was the fastest in Origin history.
The sickening hit not only robbed a crowd of over 77,000 paying supporters, but millions of fans across the country and globe. Fans who were eager to watch both players in action and cheer on the good guys in Sydney.
It has also gifted the Origin series to the Maroons who at worse will have a decider at home. And we all know what that means.
Channel Nine
The Channel Nine commentators showed themselves to be prehistorically from another era. If listening to the constant gaslighting wasn’t enough, the thought process on the incident was.
Cameron Smith and Paul Vautin both eventually agreed it was a send-off, but not in Origin.
Vautin bumbled through the incident at half-time stating it wasn’t intentional, Reece was sliding when contact was made. To, the ref saw Reece Walsh was out of the game so Sua’ali’i may as well be too.
I was waiting for his trademark “that’ll do me” catch cry. It really is time to put him out to pasture.
This was always a send-off. If not, imagine the retaliatory shots that would have occurred.
Any player facing 4-5 weeks suspension deserves to be sent from the field.
For Sua’ali’i, he faces a Grade 2 Reckless charge (4-5 weeks) and his Origin career will be for an entire 8 minutes.
Reece Walsh has suffered a Cat1 head knock and will miss the next two matches for the Broncos against the Sharks and Rabbitohs.
The Halves
Take the extra player out, the difference between the teams was DCE.
Maroons halves DCE and Tom Deardon had outstanding matches. Both players (particularly DCE) led the team around the park, and, were patient and methodical. And it almost seems outrageous to then add hooker/half Ben Hunt to the mix who makes it a habit to hurt the Blues, scoring twice in the match.
The Blues halves were nowhere near effective. Nicho Hynes and Jarome Luai are front runners. Once Queensland hit the lead they didn’t have the skillset to claw it back.
Unfortunately, I predict last year’s Dally M winner, Nicho Hynes to be thrown on the Origin scrap heap again this year. Expect a fit Mitchell Moses to join the team for the remainder of the series.
Game 2
If there is a glimmer of hope, it is that the brave Blues played with 12 players for 72 minutes. It leaves us in NSW thinking what could have been.
The Blues are still a chance for Game 2, but I fear the series may already be over.
