Should Kalyn Ponga have been sent off after Tolu Koula hit?
Updated ,first published
Bloody Kalyn Ponga initially thought he had been sent to the sin bin and only realized he had been sent away for hitting Tolu Koula in the head while sitting in the Queensland barracks.
Ponga was sent off directly from the field in the 57th minute when he pushed NSW fly Koula with his left shoulder.
Referee Ashley Klein told dugout official Chris Butler: “It’s a straight shoulder blow to the head; I think it’s a send-off.”
Klein was later overheard telling Butler, “I know what you said,” while Ponga claimed he made no attempt to intervene.
Ponga became the seventh player in Origin history to be sent off directly from the field as Queensland gave up 16 unanswered points when reduced to 12 men.
Ponga was later indicted on a second-degree shoulder charge late Wednesday and fined $6,900, or 23 percent of his match pay.
Koula showed signs of a category two concussion but was subsequently unable to complete the necessary protocols to return to play.
Speaking about the controversial moment that left TV pundits questioning whether Klein’s decision was too harsh, Ponga said: “The boys had to work a lot harder because of me being off the pitch. “It’s something I’m not proud of, but these things happen.
“It’s hard to know exactly what happened right now.
“I didn’t realize it was a send-off when I left. I thought it was 10 minutes.” [in the bin]. And to be honest, I thought they might have considered me a header.
“For them to play with 12 people [players] Defending our line for 20 minutes, the effort they put in and it coming down to the last minute and a half is pretty heartbreaking.
“I was the reason this happened. On the other hand, it came down to the last minute, so you’re pretty proud too.
“At the end of the day, it was my action that forced the kids to work harder.
“Of course I want that moment back.”
Queensland coach Billy Slater said after the match: [Ponga] He thinks he let his team down, but such things happen in games. They’re really fast.
“I’ve been in his situation, I know how difficult it is: all of a sudden, it’s wet outside, things happen. I thought it was a brave effort from our players. I’m heartbroken for them, the effort they put in. They played with so much heart.”
NSW thought they had scored in the next set after Ponga was sent off, Ethan Strange hitting the right side and Haumole Olakau’atu blocking Harry Grant and stepping aside.
But Strange soon scored a four-pointer as NSW’s spectacular comeback against 12 Queenslanders took shape.
There were few complaints when Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was given his marching orders when he stepped off the line and nearly decapitated Reece Walsh in the first match of 2024.
However, Ponga’s dismissal will continue to be hotly debated in the coming days.
Before being sent off, Klein had allowed the game to flow, with only three penalties and three set restarts in the first half. It was like we were back in 2022 and it was beautiful to watch. A late-game pick-six replay call allowed the Blues to go on the attack and score through Nathan Cleary to move to within four points of the Maroons.
All the controversial calls were quickly resolved by Butler sitting in the dugout, including the decision to penalize Cam Murray for climbing on Kurt Capewell’s back while trying to score a point late in the first half.
Queensland managed to win the captaincy battle in the second half after Max Plath claimed he was balled high while trying to catch the ball. NSW then fumbled Murray’s challenge when Cam Munster thought he had blown him up.
Klein will be remembered for a decision, but that should not detract from a good overall performance and he should feature in the second leg at the MCG next month.
News, results and expert analysis from the sports weekend delivered every Monday. Sign up for our sports newsletter.
