Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i has declared he “let my brothers down” following a four-match suspension that could end his State of Origin career after just seven minutes.
The New South Wales center received a heavy penalty for his sickening shot that knocked Queensland star Reece Walsh out of the competition.
The Blues center became the sixth player to be sent off in Origin history, as well as the first to be sent off the field, when he dived off the line and hit the full-back high and late.
Sua’ali’i dug his Blues teammates into a mile-deep hole with his hit on Walsh (pictured)
He will now miss four games if he accepts the early guilty plea for the tackle, but the Roosters star is more concerned about who he let down and whether Walsh is okay.
The Roosters star revealed his regret for doing the wrong thing to his teammates, family and NSW fans with the horrific shot that knocked Walsh out.
Even the most one-eyed NSW supporter knew an expulsion was coming, with Sua’ali’i’s Origin future now up in the air given he will leave for rugby union in 2025.
The young gun can fight the grade two recklessness charge in the judiciary but would miss five games if the panel finds him guilty, ending his Origin career unless he returns to the NRL after his stint. by the rival code.
On Instagram, Sua’ali’i expressed her disappointment with her action.
“Mixed emotions,” he wrote. ‘Disappointed, I let my brothers, my family and the state fall. Blessed and honored to wear the blue jersey. #311.
“To the next one.”
When he appeared before the media Wednesday morning, Sua’ali’i detailed how sorry he is.
‘Let’s let my family, my state and especially my teammates fall. I feel like that’s the hardest thing,” he said.
Walsh is pictured immediately after the shocking entrance, which he later said “put a blush on my chin.”
‘I didn’t mean that at all. I went in there to attack him and accidentally cut off his head.
“I hope he’s okay. I hope his family is okay. I didn’t mean to hit him in the head.
“I haven’t communicated yet, but it’s something I’ll do.”
On Wednesday morning, Walsh talked about how hard the hit was.
After saying he felt fine, the defender said: ‘He hit me on the chin, huh.
“It’s all part of the game, so it was a good hit and I have to keep taking the hits.”
“I don’t really want to comment too much on that aspect (whether Sua’ali’i should have been sent off)… I just have to go out and keep playing football.
“We Queensland continue to adapt and when adversity comes we take it in our stride.”
The superstar defender appeared to recover quickly and was seen comforting his daughter Leila after finding her in the stands (pictured).
The Roosters are off this weekend and only play four games before teams are picked for game three, and Blues coach Michael Maguire is unlikely to pick him if he hasn’t played for over a month. .
Maguire said it was a “big decision” to send off the rookie center so early in the game, pointing to an incident earlier in the year when Walsh suffered a facial fracture following a collision with Penrith’s Taylan May.
“At the beginning of the year, he ended up with a broken jaw and there was no sending off, so it’s a big decision at this level,” he said.
‘It was falling down, but I’ll have to take another look.
“I think it’s a great call for a game like this.”
Sua’a’li’i’s brain stroke (pictured being sent off) could mean he will never play in Origin again, as a suspension could ruin his chances of returning to this series, and he will leave for rugby next year .
The Blues never recovered, and the Maroons took advantage of the extra man to run rampant down their left edge as they cruised to a 38-10 victory in enemy territory.
Walsh will miss Brisbane’s next two matches under the NRL’s mandatory 11-day concussion policy, but would be free to return for the second match in Melbourne if Billy Slater wants to pick him up.
Slater remained tight-lipped when asked about the tackle, and the Blues made it clear in the opening minutes that they were going after the electrifying defender.
“I’ll keep my feelings to myself on that,” the Maroons coach said.
“He seems fine now, but he didn’t look very good on the field.
“He seems to be doing well in the sheds.”
Blues forward Isaah Yeo was the only other player charged, and the Panthers captain will have to pay 7 per cent of his match fee if he pleads guilty early for a high tackle on Murray Taulagi.
