Joseph Suaalii sidelined for a month after shocking high hit on Reece Walsh in State of Origin opener
Updated . First published
NSW centre Joseph Suaalii has been ruled out of game two of the State of Origin series as the rugby union-bound star accepts a four-match ban for flooring Queensland fullback Reece Walsh.
Suaalii became only the sixth man in Origin history to be sent off after making the sickening hit. His suspension will leave him with one week to show coach Michael Maguire that he deserves a second shot in the Blues jersey.
The NRL acted quickly to hand down the charge following the match, with Suaalii set to spend the next month on the sideline after smashing Walsh with a high shot as the Blues slumped to a 38-10 defeat to the Maroons at Accor Stadium.
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Suaalii was sent off by referee Ashley Klein seven minutes into the clash and Walsh, who was displaying category one concussion symptoms, was also done for the night early.
Play continued for a short while after the Suaalii hit as Queensland, already leading 6-0, raided NSW's try line, before attention turned to Walsh, who was flat on his back on the turf. Immediately after the hit, Walsh's eyes rolled back in his head and he was left prone for several minutes before being assisted from the field.
Joseph Suaalii hammering Reece Walsh. Nine
New Blues captain Jake Trbojevic was astonished when Klein opted for a send-off instead of a sin-bin.
"I don't want you to say a word, OK?" Klein told Trbojevic as he prepared to deliver his verdict.
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"It's a very dangerous action, there's direct contact to the head with the shoulder, you're off."
The Nine broadcast flashed to a seething Billy Slater in the Maroons coach's box.
"You probably don't want to know my thoughts," Slater said on the coverage.
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Blues legend Andrew Johns disagreed with the send-off.
"At club land? Yes," Johns said.
"It's a shame. It is a send-off, but at this level? I'm really surprised they sent Joseph Suaalii off."
Suaalii became just the sixth man to be sent off in Origin history.
