Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Plenty of Queensland players were left wanting to know why Kotoni Staggs wasn’t sent from the field for flattening Kalyn Ponga at the MCG on Wednesday night.
It was a tackle that could cruel Staggs’ hopes of keeping his spot for game three, especially with centre options like Latrell Mitchell, Bradman Best and Tom Trbojevic all returning from injury.
NSW’s hopes of a comeback were all but ended in the 67th minute when Staggs shot out of the line and crunched Ponga with his right shoulder. The Maroons fullback hit the deck and lay motionless, several Queenslanders grappled with Staggs as play continued, and the Maroons scored via Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Staggs was almost apologetic for the high and late shot, and was duly sent to the bin for 10 minutes.
Referee Ashley Klein told Staggs, “You’ve raced out of the line, and there was an elevated risk of injury”.
Staggs would have been relieved he was only binned and not sent off after Ponga was given his marching orders in Origin I for catching Tolu Koula with his shoulder. On that occasion, Ponga was the last line of defence, which made it easier for Klein to send him.
Ponga passed an onfield head injury assessment. For a moment it appeared Reece Walsh would get on, and the crowd erupted when they spotted the fullback come to the sideline and take some final instructions from coach Billy Slater. But Ponga remained and Walsh returned to the bench.
Staggs had a mixed night, which included showing tremendous strength to score the first try of the night. But he also produced a few poor passes in the first half, including one which invited Queensland back into the game.
“Queensland were very good as we know they always will be,” Blues coach Laurie Daley said.
“But we just missed the mark. So we’ve got to have a real hard look at ourselves and come up with the answers, which I’m sure we will. It’s a good opportunity to go up to Queensland and try and win the series … You don’t lose trust or faith in guys, you know what they’re capable of doing. You’ve just got to be able to do it.”
The Blues had a few moments in defence they would have wanted over again – none more than Victor Radley, who was penalised twice in two minutes for high shots in the first half.
He was unlucky to be pinged for a high tackle on a falling Briton Nikora, but he did not miss Trent Loiero with his right shoulder, which prompted Radley’s Sydney Roosters teammate Lindsay Collins to rush in and take matters into his own hands. It was one of those classic Origin mate-versus-mate moments.
Klein offered Radley some free advice in the following sets when he was overheard saying, “Victor, watch your tackles”.
Daley now faces some tough decisions for the decider in Brisbane. Does he start with Cameron Murray? Does Haumole Olakau’atu come back in for Dylan Lucas, who struggled to make his presence felt on the right edge? And surely playing prop Addin Fonua-Blake for just nine minutes was never the plan?
“I think you look at the game first,” Daley said when asked about selections for game III.
“We’ll look at the game and see where we’re at. I think you just analyse everything don’t you?”
Queensland will be grateful a contentious captain’s challenge did not come back to cruel their night. Collins argued he had been shoulder-charged by Reece Robson, but Klein and the bunker were satisfied it had been a loose carry.
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