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Lions Tour Aussie takes: Need Skelton for South Africa, lock in Jorgensen
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Rugby Australia's star recruit sent off in Origin debut
By Ben Smith
Rugby Australia’s star signing Joseph-Aukoso Sua’ali’i will be playing rugby union next year but his State of Origin debut became a horror show after becoming the sixth player in history to be sent off.
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Suaalii delivered a sickening shot on Queensland Maroons fullback Reece Walsh just eight minutes into the game that felled the star Bronco.
Walsh was falling into the tackle but Sua’ali’i got it horribly wrong and was quickly given his marching orders.
Down to just 12-men for the remainder of the contest, Queensland ran away with a 38-10 win with former union schoolboy star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow grabbing a hat-trick.
The hits keep coming for the beaten Blues, with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii set to be rubbed out for the entire State of Origin series after being charged for his high shot on Reece Walsh.
DETAILS 👉 https://t.co/7ToFdGrZy6 pic.twitter.com/jKCvu22Pmi
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) June 5, 2024
The future Wallaby has been charged with a grade two reckless tackle and is facing a suspension that would see him sidelined for the rest of the Origin series.
He may not play State of Origin again should he stay in rugby following his code switch in 2025.
NSW Blues teammates rallied around their centre afterward, coach Michael Macguire said the tackle was “on the line”.
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“This one was line ball, because he was actually falling. And the height of that in this moment had Joey clip him a bit. But it was a big call in a game like this,” he said.
Broncos prop Payne Haas, who is a teammate of Walsh, said he felt for Sua’ali’i who was committed to the tackle as Walsh was slipping.
“I feel sorry for Joey, it’s a bit of a hard one. We’ve all got his back and I’m sure he’ll be back. I’m not sure what he’s supposed to do there to pull out.”
The Wallabies’ incoming $1.6 million man.
Joseph Suaalii can play. This however was an ugly tackle on Origin debut.
Yes there’s some mitigation at play, but there’s a huge amount of force in this shot on the 177cm fullback. https://t.co/vF7M64UwzS
— Christy Doran (@ChristypDoran) June 5, 2024
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“That is just the game we play. You have got to take the good with the bad and he got the bad end of the stick today,” teammate Spencer Leniu said.
“But the good thing about Joey is that he is such a wonderful young kid and he will do everything in his power to get back in this jersey again to repay the boys.”
Queensland assistant coach Nate Myles was caught giving the Blues centre a spray on the sidelines as he walked towards the sheds.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Myles shouted “enjoy your f***ing debut” three times at Sua’ali’i before being warned from an NRL official.
