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2 months ago
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Furious Queensland Maroons officials have slammed Channel Nine over the broadcaster's decision to use Joseph Sua'ali'i's late hit on Reece Walsh from the series opener in an advertisement to promote Origin II at the MCG.
Sua'ali'i was sent off just seven minutes into Origin 1 after he knocked out Walsh when his shoulder collided with the Queensland fullback's head.
The rugby-bound star was suspended for four games - but it didn't stop Channel Nine from reminding viewers of the sickening incident ahead of Wednesday's clash.
'I think it's inappropriate and totally wrong,' Queensland Rugby League chairman Bruce Hatcher told the Sydney Morning Herald.
'There were plenty of other tackles they could have used. I hated that photo on the front page of the paper the next day [after game one] with Reece's eyes rolled to the back of his head.
Queensland officials have slammed Channel 9 over the broadcaster's decision to use Joseph Sua'ali'i's late hit on Reece Walsh from the series opener in an ad to promote Origin II at the MCG (pictured, Maroons coach Billy Slater)
NSW Blues centre Joseph Sua'ali'i was sent off just seven minutes into Origin 1 after he knocked out Reece Walsh (pictured) when his shoulder collided with the Queensland fullback's head
Queensland can wrap up the Origin series if they win game two at the MCG (pictured middle, skipper Daly Cherry-Evans)
Blues five-eighth Jarome Luai confirmed ahead of Wednesday's clash Reece Walsh is likely to again be targeted
'If we condone any action that takes those sort of people out of the game, then I think the game is a shocking loser.'
It comes as Blues five-eighth Jarome Luai confirmed ahead of Wednesday's must win game Walsh is likely to again be targeted.
'I think he's an awesome player so if you're one of those great players, there's going to be a target on your back regardless,' he said on Monday.
'It's no one's intention to physically hurt someone the way he got hurt, but I think from a defensive perspective you need to have that mentality on someone that fast and that skillful otherwise he's going to hurt you.
'You can't go in 50 per cent or anything like that. At the end of the day that's Origin footy, things are happening at a 100 miles an hour. It's a contact sport.
'He's a dangerous man if you give him that space and time. 'We are going to try and restrict him as much as we can by sticking to our systems and not much is going to change.'
Luai's ominous warning comes after NSW coach Michael Maguire angrily rejected calls after the series opener the hit from Sua'ali'i was deliberate.
He went onto suggest 'Queensland were living in glass houses.'
It was widely interpreted as a dig at Slater given the number of indiscretions he had during his playing career.
NSW must win game two in Melbourne to keep the series alive - with the Blues last lifting the interstate trophy in 2021.
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