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4 months ago
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Several Channel Nine stars were almost engulfed by the wild sideline melee that kicked off during Wednesday night's State of Origin game - including pregnant footy reporters Allana Ferguson and Emma Lawrence.
The brawl created footy history as NSW forward Cameron Murray became the first player ever sin-binned while he was off the field after he ran into the chaos while he was on the bench.
And Blues 19th man Haumole Olakau'atu - who was dressed in a suit - was banished to the dressing rooms after also getting involved in the clash.
Ferguson, Lawrence, their fellow sideline eye Danika Mason and announcer James Bracey were at risk of being swamped by the players as they brawled, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Bracey posted a video on Instagram with the words 'Fellas, I'm tryna watch the footy!' showing him getting knocked around by support staff who were trying to break up the confrontation, which began when Daly Cherry-Evans and Jarome Luai traded slaps near the sideline.
His coffee went flying during the altercation, which also took out a TV screen and some chairs as it careened into the area where Nine's on-air talent and production crew were stationed.
Mason also posted a video showing the players brawling just centimetres from her, accompanied by the caption 'The Decider! Doesn't get much closer than this'.
Lawrence revealed her baby news just before the first game of this year's Origin series.
Nine star James Bracey's video showed him getting knocked around as the Origin melee spilled over the sideline into an area where he and some of his colleagues were stationed
Bracey's co-star Emma Lawrence - who announced her pregnancy just before game one of this year's series - was also caught up in the wild scenes
Pregnant Nine footy expert Allana Ferguson (pictured with Bracey) was also front and centre when the Maroons and Blues got into the chaotic clash
'Off-season about to get busy! We can’t wait to meet you little one,' she posted on Instagram, accompanied by an image of the baby scan and her boyfriend, who is a senior producer for Channel Nine's rugby league coverage.
Ferguson opened up about her journey with IVF in 2022, and just revealed she'll become a mum for the third time on Instagram earlier this week, writing 'We are busting to love and smooch you forever' in a post featuring a video of her showing her ultrasound photo to daughter Parker and son Zave.
In a dramatic postscript to the Blues' first series win in three years, both Murray and Olakau'atu copped grade-three contrary conduct charges on Thursday for running off the NSW bench to join the scuffle.
Murray and Olakau'atu each entered early guilty pleas on Thursday evening, avoiding taking the fight to the judiciary and risking a third game on the sidelines.
Their pleas came despite both South Sydney and Manly officials being frustrated that the offences in Origin will now impact their club seasons and finals hopes.
Eight others players were hit with fines, with the NRL desperate to send a message after a melee that spilled over the sideline and crashed into exercise bikes and television monitors.
Jeremiah Nanai, Brian To'o, Reuben Cotter and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow were each hit with $6000 fines for their involvement in the scuffle in the first half of the Blues' 14-4 win.
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