- Queensland assistant coach lost his cool on the bench
- Joseph Sua’ali’i’s strike allowed him to make the fastest Origin farewell in history
Queensland Origin great Nate Myles repeatedly shouted “enjoy your bloody debut” at Joseph Sua’ali’i after he was sent off for smashing Reece Walsh on Wednesday night, and refuses to back down after receiving an official warning from the NRL. .
Myles was sitting on the interchange bench at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in his role as Maroons assistant coach and jumped up to confront the Roosters star after his sickening knock in the seventh minute of the first game.
The 38-year-old didn’t stop his outburst until the NRL field manager intervened and then received an official warning from the league.
After full time, Myles explained why he was so furious about the hit, which leveled Walsh and saw him take no further part in the match.
A furious Myles (left) repeatedly shouted ‘enjoy your bloody debut’ at Sua’ali’i (right) and only stopped his outburst when confronted by an NRL official.
“He (Sua’ali’i) made a mistake and it’s unfortunate, it doesn’t look good for the game,” Myles said.
‘If you’re not good enough to be able to shoot that (deliver a clean hit) every time, you have to control it.
‘Controlled aggression is key now. Controlled aggression isn’t hitting the right spot every time, it’s what you do on every play.
“That play on Reece in the back, they didn’t do it right and it’s an unfortunate look for the game.”
When asked what he had shouted at the Blues star, Myles joked: “I don’t remember… I’ve been hit in the head too many times.”
Sua’ali’i set a record for the fastest dismissal in Origin history and became the sixth player to be sent off the field since the interstate series began.
Sua’ali’i’s knockout on Walsh (pictured) saw him set a record for fastest sending off in State of Origin history.
Walsh’s shoulder to the jaw momentarily knocked him out (pictured) and he played no further part in Queensland’s 38-10 victory.
Referee Ashley Klein’s decision to end Sua’ali’i’s night was the subject of intense debate after the match, with two football legends criticized for saying they did not believe it justified a sending off.
Footy Immortal Andrew Johns said he was “really surprised” the center was sent off the field.
“In Clubland, yes, it is a farewell. But at this level, I’m really surprised that they fired Joseph Sua’ali’i,’ he said on Channel Nine coverage.
It wasn’t a huge surprise coming from one of the biggest names in Blues history, but the opinion of one-eyed Queensland supporter and Maroons legend Paul Vautin was a total revelation.
Football legend Andrew Johns (pictured) didn’t think the tackle warranted a sending off, but many fans couldn’t have agreed less.
Johns’ opinion wasn’t too surprising given he’s a one-eyed blues fan, but Queensland great Paul Vautin (pictured) would have surprised many Maroons fans by saying he didn’t think Sua’ali’i should have been paraded because his entry was ‘unintentional’
“Suaalii thinks he’s going to hit him in the chest, but Reece Walsh ducks – it’s reckless and careless, but it’s not intentional,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s a send-off. (Referee) Ashley Klein looked down and saw Reece snoring, so she immediately thought it was a send-off.
Football fans lashed out at his stance on social media, with one writing: “It doesn’t matter if it’s Origin, it’s a dog shot.”
‘Anyone who thinks this is NOT goodbye, it’s time to get out from under your rock and jump into your time machine. It’s not the 80s anymore. That action puts an end to his career. At the wrong angle, it’s the end of life,” another commented.
Martin Lang, who played eight games for Queensland between 1998 and 2000, added: “I applaud the match officials. Direct head contact. If it’s a bye in the NRL, it’s a bye in the State of Origin.