The real reason Kalyn Ponga avoided ban despite controversial Origin send off and charge

Kalyn Ponga would be missing at least two NRL games had he committed Wednesday night's offence in clubland rather than the State of Origin arena.

The Queensland fullback was controversially sent off by referee Ashley Klein in the 57th minute of the series opener when he turned his body and whacked Blues debutant Tolu Koula high, leaving the young NSW star concussed.

Ponga was sent off for the remaining 23 minutes, in which time the Blues scored three tries to come back from 20-6 down to win 22-20.

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Not long after the game, the NRL's match review committee released its charge sheet which hit Ponga with a grade two shoulder charge.

On any other week of the season that offence would carry a two-game ban, but Ponga was able to escape with a fine of 23 per cent of his Origin match fee - or about $6900, due to rules that raise the bar for suspensions for acts in representative games.

It means he is free to play for the Knights, even though his victim Koula will miss at least one game for Manly.

The reason he escaped suspension is because the NRL changed its rules in 2022 to make it less likely players committing foul play in representative football would be rubbed out of club matches. It means that the exact same charge carries different penalties in club matches to what they carry in Origin games.

"The judiciary reforms are designed to directly penalise the player responsible for foul play during State of Origin, rather than (penalise) their NRL club," NRL's head of football Graham Annesley explained.

While there has been great debate as to whether Ponga deserved to be sent off, or should have instead been sin binned, Annesley was in full support of Klein's decision.

"This incident involved clear and forceful shoulder-to-head and head-to head contact with no mitigating factors," Annesley said.

"Player safety is extremely important and the game will make no apology for taking strong action on foul play."

Many viewers believe Ponga's shoulder did not make contact with Koula's head, hence the controversy.

Even Blues legend Andrew Johns was against the send off.

He was among many viewers left baffled with Klein overruled advice from his Bunker official, who suggested Ponga should be binned for 10 minutes only.

"Koula is falling, mitigating circumstances. We've seen during the year that is a sin bin," Johns said on Wide World of Sports' Immortal Behaviour.

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"For mine, that is totally overreacting. When has the referee overruled the Bunker on a send off? There are some questions that need to be asked.

"He didn't deserve to be sent off, and if he doesn't get sent off we are no chance of winning."

Johns referenced an incident from the 2024 Origin series when Blues debutant Joseph Suaalii was sent off - also by Klein - when his shoulder connected with the head of Reece Walsh, knocking the latter out of the game.

Suaalii was subsequently banned for four NRL games even though the Origin leniency rules were already in place.

That was because Suaalii was charged with a grade two reckless tackle, which is judged as a far more severe offence than a grade two shoulder charge, which is what Ponga's hit on Koula was deemed.