The first fixture of 2024’s State of Origin series last night effectively ended after less than eight minutes of play. Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, the 20-year-old NRL prodigy turned prodigal son, flew out of the line and hit star Maroons fullback Reece Walsh flush in the head with his shoulder. As Walsh lay on the ground, referee Ashley Klein pointed up the tunnel, Blues captain Jake Trbojevic gawped like a bumpkin at the county fair, and months of the annual regulation hype otherwise known as “Origin fever” fell in a heap.
Besides his likely suspension for up to four weeks, Sua’ali’i’s punishment for ruining everyone’s fun is only just beginning. The sports pages of today’s Sydney and Brisbane papers are making hay out of his apology on Instagram, the reactions from fans on social media, and the implications of his sending off for the rest of the series and the wider game.
