The Controversial Send-Off That Changed the Game
The State of Origin I clash between New South Wales and Queensland has left fans and former players in disbelief after a controversial decision saw Newcastle Knights’ star player Kalyn Ponga sent off. This pivotal moment opened the door for NSW’s dramatic comeback, ultimately leading to their 22-20 victory at Homebush.
A Turning Point in the Match
Former Maroons captain Darren Lockyer described the decision as “the turning point” in the match, expressing his shock at how the on-field referee Ashley Klein overruled the bunker to send Ponga off instead of giving him a 10-minute sin-bin.
“I’m still in shock about the Kalyn Ponga decision,” Lockyer said on Channel Nine after the Blues’ win. “That’s the turning point; we lose the game off the back of that. There’ll be a lot of people north of the border that struggle to accept that decision.”
The Incident That Sparked the Controversy
The incident occurred when Tolu Koula broke down the left wing with 23 minutes remaining in the series opener. Halfback Sam Walker tackled Koula, who then angled his body to get to the ground and away from the sideline. Ponga, in a classic shoulder charge position, made contact with Koula, resulting in a brutal head clash. Replays showed the impact was severe, leaving Koula with a cut on his eyebrow.
As players gathered for some jersey grabbing and pushing, Ponga appeared visibly distressed, knowing he was in serious trouble. Blues lock Cameron Murray even reminded Klein that NSW star Joseph Suaalii had been sent off in the 2024 series opener for a different high shot on Reece Walsh.
Referee’s Decision and Bunker Dispute
Klein immediately stated, “I’m thinking that’s a send-off,” before an apparent disagreement with bunker official Chris Butler regarding the severity of the punishment.
“I’m thinking that’s a send-off,” Klein said, before listening to a response from the video referee. “I get that mate, but this is in the head, there’s no attempt to tackle,” he added into his earpiece.
After a pause, Klein called Ponga over and said, “I know what you’re saying, but this is an illegal play,” before sending Ponga for an early shower. Ponga pointed to blood on his ear as evidence of the head clash.
Reactions from Origin Greats
Origin greats Andrew Johns and Cameron Smith were outraged in the Channel Nine commentary box. “It’s not a send-off,” ex-Queensland skipper Cameron Smith said. “No way it’s a send-off,” Immortal Andrew Johns replied.
Lockyer was unimpressed by Klein apparently overruling Butler. “I think Ashley Klein always had this [the send off] in his mind,” he said after the game. “The bunker said it should be 10 minutes … but Ashley Klein didn’t have a bar of it.”
Coaches’ Responses
Maroons coach Billy Slater said he was okay with the decision. “I haven’t got any problems with it,” he told reporters. “I’m not gonna make any noise about it. They’re the breaks.”
NSW coach Laurie Daley initially said he would “rather not say” what he thought of the incident, before suggesting it was the sort of thing that had happened plenty of times in Origin before. “If you look through Origin history there’s always been moments and there’s always been wins like that,” he said. “You take ‘em.”
Consequences for Ponga
The match review committee hit Ponga with a grade-two shoulder charge, which would be worth a two-match ban with an early guilty plea had it happened in an NRL game. But, under rules introduced in 2022 to stop players missing club matches for offences committed while on representative duty, he will instead be fined 23 per cent of his match fee with an early plea.
