Rugby Australia’s million-dollar recruit red-carded after horrific State of Origin tackle prompting ‘awful spray’ from opposition coach

Rugby Australia and Waratahs recruit Joseph Sua’ali’i has become the sixth player in State of Origin history to be red-carded after a horrific tackle.

Sua’ali’i is in his final season of rugby league before making the switch to union later this year, and he saw his Origin debut cut short after a sending-off.

Joseph Sua’ali’i sees red

The NSW star hammered into Queensland’s Reece Walsh, making direct shoulder-to-head contact and making no attempt at executing a legal tackle.

Referee Ashley Klein issued Sua’ali’i with a red card, ending his Origin debut after just seven minutes, while Walsh was forced off the pitch and deemed unable to return to play after a head assessment.

Reece Walsh won’t return tonight after suffering a concussion in this collision, direct contact to the head in clear mechanism.

Will enter the NRL’s concussion protocol with associated 11 day stand down period. Hope he’s OK #Origin pic.twitter.com/TQdYWOX277

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 5, 2024

Reaction

With Origin being the highlight of Australia’s rugby league calendar, Sua’ali’i’s action has been slammed by onlookers on social media.

“To all those saying Joseph Sua’ali’i shouldn’t have been a send off need to take a long hard look at the games standards of player safety. Everything about that was dangerous. Joe Johns saying that it shouldn’t be a send off just because it’s origin is also f***ng woeful,” one fan posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Another added: “Congrats to Joseph Sua’ali’i on the worst origin debut of all time.”

Meanwhile, Australia broadcaster ABC reported that the union-bound star received a spray from one of the Queensland coaches on the touchline.

“Nate Myles, one of the assistants on the Queensland team, gave him an awful spray,” ABC reported.

Sua’ali’i’s move to union has been hugely controversial, resulting in a spat between the NRL and Rugby Australia.

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Reports stated that he would be earning AUS$ 5 million over his three-year deal with RA with Wallabies great David Campese slamming the decision.

“Think of what rugby union could do in pathways with the money they are spending on one player,” Campese told the Daily Telegraph.

“This is the reason we’ve been losing kids to rugby league for years … there has been no investment in juniors.

“They say Suaalii will be paid almost $5 million over three years – imagine what you could do in junior development and schools with that sort of money.”

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