NSW rookie Joseph Suaalii’s ugly shot on Reece Walsh has sparked a fierce debate, with Phil Rothfield and Braith Anasta butting heads regarding his punishment.
Suaalii was sent off only eight minutes into the Origin series opener, while Walsh was also ruled out of the clash after showing category one concussion symptoms.
The rugby league world has been divided by the decision to give Suaalii his marching orders in one of the biggest games of the year, but for league legend Gorden Tallis it was simple.
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“I think a lot of people have it upside down. It’s our greatest showpiece because of players like Reece. There is no more popular player than him,” he said on NRL360 on Thursday.
“You don’t want to lose anyone to injury and with that tackle, is it an accident? Maybe. Is it not? He’s gone out with force.
“But people saying ‘it’s State of Origin’. So your brain, right, is less important in State of Origin than it is at club level?
“At club level send off him but brain trauma in State of Origin? Oh no, he’s allowed to stay on the field.”
Meanwhile, NRL360 host Braith Anasta was of the belief the “the game was over” and even went as far to say “most likely the series” following the send off.
However, he explained there’s “mitigating circumstances” that could have seen the Roosters young gun only be sent to the sin bin.
“It’s a tough one because really in a club game it’s a send off straight away. We know that,” he said.
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“We are trying to protect the player and protect player’s head. And if you’re a New South Welshmen and it was one of your players you’re saying send off straight away.
“But my thing with this is there’s mitigating circumstances… he was slipping and he lost his feet before he threw the pass. Suaalii had already been set to tackle him.
“As he’s passing the ball Joseph hasn’t even got to him and his feet are sliding into the tackle.
“For me always with the send off and with Origin being as big it is, normally it’s when a player is with intent going to take someone’s head off intentionally.”
Anasta also explained that “we do need to protect the actual game as well” before a heated debate erupted between veteran reporter Rothfield and the former Bulldogs and Roosters star.
Rothfield refused to implement new rules, like in rugby union, in which a team can replace a player sent off after 20 minutes.
“We have to make tackles like that not happen ever again. Let me finish. We need massive deterrents for players like Joseph Suaalli’i to launch himself like he did,” Rothfield said.
Anasta then pointed out that Suaalii was handed a four-game suspension, to which Rothfield said: “His team doesn’t get affected if you’re allowed to replace him… We’ve had the send off rule since 1908 Braith.
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“We’re in the modern era with concussion and we know so much more about CTE so we adjust our rules.”
However, Anasta was of the belief that “if we go too far there won’t be a game”.
To which Rothfield bristled, replying: “There won’t be a game if people like Reece Walsh get another knock this year and then another one next and then another”.
Anasta then double down on his belief the NRL also need to protect the entertainment value of rugby league.
“I get it Buzz. We got to protect the player but we‘ve got to protect our brand. The greatest game of all is the greatest game of all for a reason,” he said.
“I agree with a lot of what you’re saying and I think we’ve got to be very careful and we’ve got to come up with some solution.
“Number one we’ve gotta protect our players but we’ve gotta protect our brand.”