NSW coach Brad Fittler has been left seething after an old school Origin fight cost the Blues dearly in the Origin decider in Queensland.
The Origin decider had literally everything a fan would want out of a game of rugby league but Blues coach Brad Fittler has been left fuming over one of the big flash points of the match.
Queensland claimed a 22-12 win at Suncorp Stadium to snatch the Origin Shield back but it a vicious and at time spiteful clash, tempers boiled over early in the second half.
Stream the FOX LEAGUE State of Origin Game 3 REPLAY on Kayo with no ads during-play. Both full and condensed replays available to stream from 11PM AEST. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
The Maroons looked to have claimed a try when Daly Cherry-Evans appeared to have won a race to the ball after he kicked over the top but the play was brought back after Queensland centre Gagai had pushed Blues back Matt Burton to the ground in retribution for the Blue taking out Kalyn Ponga as he was running back to the line.
The Blues star didn’t take too kindly and punches were thrown.
Both men landed punches but Gagai had back up when forward Tino Fa’asuamaleaui entered the fray, dragging Burton around and ensuring the Blues star didn’t do any damage.
Fa’asuamaleaui ended up holding Burton in a headlock as the players rushed into the fray.
The drama exploded as Andrew Johns said in commentary: “This is going to boil over”.
Mat Thompson added: “You said, Andrew, the start of the game was a throw back to the ‘80s. We’re right back in the ‘80s now.”
Gagai was the first man handed his marching orders, much to Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans’ protests.
“Mate, all game, all series, they have taken us out off the ball, all series,” he said. “What did you expect to happen.”
Referee Ashley Klein told Cherry-Evans to go and talk to his players, to which he replied: “I will but they can’t keep doing that s**t”.
Blues skipper James Tedesco argued it was “2-on-1” and Burton was just defending himself.
But Klein sent Burton to the sin bin because he threw punches back.
There was no repercussions for Fa’asuamaleaui.
After the match, Fittler was furious as he claimed Burton was just defending himself.
“At the end of the day he didn’t initiate it, Burto,” Fittler said during the press conference.
“He’s not going to fight anyone.
“At the end of the day he’s got belted. He got penalised. We got the penalty. Then got belted and put in a headlock and we walk out with one player down each.
“It’s a tad ridiculous. But it is what it is.”
Tedesco reiterated Fa’asuamaleaui should also have been sent to the sin bin.
“Yeah I thought so,” Tedesco said.
“I don’t know if he actually threw a punch, but I thought if he did he should have been sin-binned as well.
“That’s why he said Gagai was sin-binned because he threw punches, so I don’t know if Tino did that as well, but yeah.
“I asked actually and he said …”
“Maybe ask the refs that,” Fittler interjected.
“Let’s not dwell on that.”
Earlier in the match, fans felt the Queensland forward was lucky to stay on the field after a high shot on an admittedly falling Burton but were ready to vent their anger.
Fa’asuamaleaui ultimately copped two charges from the NRL judiciary, a grade 2 careless high tackle which will cost him 13 per cent of his match fee with an early plea and a grade one dangerous contact charge, which comes with a seven per cent match fee charge. If he fights and loses, the fees go to 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
The SMH’s Christian Nicolussi wrote: “THANK YOU: Dane Gagai and Tino ganging up on Matt Burton just made sure the hatred of Queensland well and truly lives on”.
British Paralympic sprinter Rhy Jones tweeted: “How hasn’t Gagai nit been sent off? He threw 5 clean punches?”
AAP’s Scott Bailey posted: “Tino Fa’asuamaleaui getting hit with a grade-two and grade-one charge out of the same game and not being suspended or even sin-binned is ridiculous.”
Ex-Sri Lankan cricket star Russel Arnold added: “So Tino gets nothing for holding Burton to get punched”.
ABC’s Matt Bevan wrote: “So a fight breaks out between Gagai and Burton, and Fa’asuamaleaui tries to pull Burton’s head off. But Fa’asuamaleaui (who should have been sent off in the first half) stays on the field. Cool!
“I’m not an expert but I don’t think you’re meant to break up a fight by putting your mate’s opponent in a headlock.”
Former IBF featherweight champ Billy Dib said: “Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is out of control. Needs to pull his head in #Origin”.
Originally published as ‘Ridiculous’: NSW coach rages over Burton-Gagai Origin brawl
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
