- Billy Slater barely contains his anger at high tackle
- The coach of the Maroons maintains a tense exchange with a journalist
- Thurston also outraged by the hit on Reece Walsh
Queensland coach Billy Slater barely contained his anger at questions about Joseph Sua’ali’i’s high tackle that left Reece Walsh with a concussion and out of the game.
Sua’ali’i faces four weeks on the sidelines with early guilty plea following Walsh’s headshot in the eighth minute of the Maroons’ 38-10 State of Origin series opener win Wednesday in Sydney.
Slater refused to comment on the matter in his post-match press conference and bristled at questions from the media.
“I’ll keep my feelings to myself on that,” Slater said coolly before being asked if he thought NSW was targeting Walsh.
“I have no idea, but I’ll keep my feelings to myself on the matter,” he responded.
Queensland coach Billy Slater refused to answer questions relating to the controversial tackle despite being asked several times.
Slater was then asked if he thought Sua’ali’i’s hit warranted an sending off.
‘Perhaps you?’ responded to the journalist.
Channel Nine also asked Slater what he thought about the tackle during the match, to which he sternly replied: “You probably don’t want to know that.”
Meanwhile, Queensland assistant coach Johnathan Thurston accused NSW of targeting Reece Walsh.
“Everyone has seen it and it was unfortunate that Sua’ali’i made his debut,” Maroons great Thurston said.
“It was direct, forceful contact to the head and they clearly had a target on (Walsh)… the referees had no choice.”
Queensland team manager Nate Myles, who played 32 Origin matches for the Maroons, sprayed Suaalii as he left the field and told the NSW man to “enjoy your bloody debut”.
Myles said the Blues failed in their tactical strategy to nullify Walsh, who was hit hard to the ground by striker Liam Martin just minutes before the Suaalii incident.
Queensland assistant coach Johnathan Thurston (pictured) accused the Blues of targeting Reece Walsh.
Myles (left) repeatedly shouted ‘enjoy your bloody debut’ at Sua’ali’i (right) and only stopped his outburst when confronted by an NRL official.
“(Suaalii) made a mistake and…it doesn’t look good for the game,” Myles said.
‘Controlled aggression is key now. Controlled aggression isn’t hitting the right spot every time, it’s what you do on every play.
‘A good team sticks to its tactics and doesn’t make mistakes.
“That play with Reece behind, they didn’t do it well.”
Myles said he was not suggesting Walsh needed to be wrapped in cotton wool.
“Nobody needs protection, it’s rugby league, but there are rules,” he said.
‘We want the game to thrive. It’s going great, but we have to take care of the players and keep them on the field.
“When (Walsh) came back to the bench, I knew he was fine, but there’s a safety protocol and there’s a reason guys don’t play back-to-back games anymore.
“It would have been nice to see a young man like Reece come to the game.”
Maroons midfielder Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow moved from center back to fullback when Walsh went off and had a blinder, scoring three tries.
The ‘Hammer’ was stunned by Suaalii’s blow and stated that the Blues center received what he deserved.
“It’s bad, straight to the head,” Tabuai-Fidow said.
‘It’s something we’re trying to get out of the game to protect the players. He’s fine now.
‘I wasn’t surprised at all. I saw it again on the big screen and it went straight to my head. “We all knew they were going to expel him.”
