State of Origin Confidential: Haumole Olakau’atu banished, TV coverage roasted for clock failure

A NSW Blues star was banished to the dressing room and banned from the shield presentation after he was involved in a bitter sideline scuffle. See the full ORIGIN CONFIDENTIAL.

Spencer Leniu. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Haumole Olakau’atu was banished to the dressing room for the rest of the match and banned from being part of the NSW shield presentation after he was involved up in a sideline scuffle.

Olakau’atu - dressed in a suit and sitting on the Blues sideline - was the Blues’ 19th man. But he got caught up in the fight which resulted in sin-bins to Cameron Murray and Jeremiah Nanai.

The NRL dismissed the Sea Eagles forward from the sideline and told him he had to watch the rest of the game from the changerooms.

He grabbed Maroons winger Valentine Holmes as the players came together from everywhere. Olakau’atu watched the game from the dressing room before he was banned from entering the field of play at the end of the game while the rest of his teammates celebrated a famous victory.

Haumole Olakau'atu rushing to get involved in the melee. Picture: Channel 9

BEST EVER?

Best Origin game ever. If the NRL could somehow bottle this 80 minutes and teleport it to Las Vegas next year then rugby league would conquer the world.

But for now let’s celebrate the efforts of the 34 players who took to the field on Wednesday night to produce one of the best matches in rugby league history with NSW rightfully re-gaining state supremacy with the victory.

It proved that for too long the game has been points obsessed – and punches – obsessed. But this game showed that you don’t need that to produce an all-time classic. Defensive, low-scoring battles can also lead to the highest quality of games.

There was an old-school edge where club teammates went toe to toe. A bloodied Bradman Best stormed past Dane Gagai and Kalyn Ponga to lay on NSW’s first try after 64 minutes.

We saw Angus Crichton and Lindsay Collins involved in a push and shove. Reece Robson fended away club mate Tom Dearden who dared lay his hands on a NSW player while the match-up of Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan seemed personal in the middle of the field.

FIERY FLARE UP

There was some fiery stuff too with the game played with plenty of fire. Two-sin bins including the usually mild mannered Cameron Murray being binned after racing from the bench to get involved in a sideline fight. At local footy that could be a year-long ban.

In the same fight Brian To’o was tossed onto a chair by Reuben Cotter.

Desperate efforts were also staple. From a Daly Cherry-Evans’ ankle tap in the opening set to Collins cleaning up a kick in the corner on the last play. The Blues never looked flustered despite failing to register a first half point.

It was a game built for NSW coach Michael Maguire. It had his hallmarks all over it. Tough, gritty and uncompromising. The Blues were relentless – something Maguire has banged on about this series.

And what a series it was.

HIGHLIGHT

The Blue wall. Kept Queensland try-less to produce one of the all-time great Origin performances.

LOWLIGHT

Honestly if you can pick a hole in that 80 minutes you are a sad, sad person. Absolute cracker.

CLOCK BUNGLE

A clock bungle has hampered the broadcast with the opening minutes of the game going on without the play clock.

Channel 9 commentator Mat Thompson said blame the error on the “official stadium clock” not “working properly”.

It took almost 10 minutes before the game clock returned to the screens.

Channel 9 clock breaks down. Picture: Ch 9

Whoever is in charge of Nine's Origin clock pic.twitter.com/JL8MLRGI91

— carlosthedwarf? (@carlosthedwarf_) July 17, 2024

JOURNO FUELS SLATER FEUD

Nine Network bosses are privately confident there will be no lingering issues between Billy Slater and Danny Weidler in the wake of their public disagreement over the relationship between Selwyn Cobbo and Maroons coaching staff.

Slater lashed out at suggestions of a rift between Cobbo and Maroons coaching staff, the rumour having been aired by Weidler on the Nine Network on Monday night.

The Maroons coach described the claims as “fake news” and suggested there was no accountability to report the facts. Weidler refused to back down on Wednesday, even going so far as to suggest there was a rat in the Queensland camp.

“My source who I have talked to numerous times about this since Billy’s presser says my information is exactly correct — 100 per cent correct and the information has come from within the Queensland camp,” Weidler told Triple M’s Footy Talk.

“I’m confident in what the person is telling me to be true.”

Nine insiders insist that no long-term damage has been done and the pair can continue to work together.

Billy Slater denied any rift between Cobbo. Picture: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

AXED BLUES

All the NSW players - including James Tedesco and Nicho Hynes - who featured in the opening two games but weren’t picked in game three were invited to attend. However, because of club commitments and injuries they all declined.

SHOOSH

Which contracted Origin star was in secret talks with a rival club? He was set to be granted a release on compassionate grounds which would have seen the player return home. Despite initial talks, the move never progressed and it won’t happen now.

SPOTTED

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, treasurer Jim Chalmers and Queensland Premier Steven Miles watching from the NRL corporate box.

SPOTTED II

Triple M head caller Dan Ginnane hobbling into the commentary box to call the game. He hurt his calf on his way to the stadium.

DOLLAR, DOLLAR BLUES, YA’LL

The Blues warmed up on game day morning with a big-money putt-putt match in the team hotel on Wednesday morning. Origin Confidential spies told us that instead of a hole, the target was a dollar note - we’re told it was a big one - and NSW and Penrith lock Isaac Yeo took home the cash.

BABY BLUE

The Blues didn’t have many fans at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night but they may have had the youngest.

Seven weeks after entering the world, Mitch Barnett’s son Zane was among the crowd at the State of Origin decider.

Barnett’s wife Clare presented Barnett’s maiden NSW jersey on the match eve and then braved the seething Suncorp Stadium crowd with Zane as Mitch made his debut on hostile territory.

DES WARMS UP FOR BROOKIE

Gold Coast coach Des Hasler has warmed up for his anticipated return to 4Pines Park by attending a dinner with the NSW team in the leadup to the State of Origin decider.

Former Blues players Chris Johns and Greg Bird were also at the dinner at the Caxton Street hotel on Monday night.

Hasler will make his return to his long-time home on Sunday afternoon for the first time since commencing legal action against the Sea Eagles over his dismissal at the end of the 2022 season.

‘QUEENSLAND’

It is good to see NSW hopeful Terrell May with a sense of humour after he caused a stir by jokingly picking Queensland earlier in the series. This time around, May strolled-by the Roosters social team without saying a word when he was asked for his game three prediction.

Roosters prop Terrell May stayed away from tipping a winner in Origin III. Pic: Instagram

They reckon the Blues are hated up here in Queensland but wouldn’t know judging by the trip from Brisbane airport to the centre of the city.

One of the first billboards that greets you on the main road features NSW stars Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o.

Nathan Cleary is also a popular figure it seems - he is the star of an electronic billboard in the city advertising Rexona.

GOOD NEWS FOR MAROON

Queensland game one debutant J’maine Hopgood has successfully undergone back surgery which prematurely ended his season. Hopgood was rocked in Origin I after a big shot by former Penrith teammate Liam Martin. He played one more game for the Eels before being ruled out because of the back injury.

“I’m not in any pain now,” Hopgood said. “I had the operation (two weeks ago and spent) one night in hospital. Pain wise I’m pretty sweet. A bit of a long road in recovery. Easing the body back into light movements before we can get out there.

“I’ve had back trouble since I was 17. Started with stress fractures back then. Lower disc problems three or four years. A combination of that tackle. I felt it slip in the game and I’ve had that happen three or four times in my career and been fine.

“I lifted light weights two days after Origin at Parra and felt my back crack. That’s how it happened.”

ORIGIN FREE AGENTS

The Sydney Roosters are set to kick off contract talks with prop Spencer Leniu next week as they look to lock the NSW firebrand into a new deal.

Leniu is off contract at the end of next season, meaning he is free to speak to rival clubs on November 1.

However, his agent Joe Nakat confirmed plans were already in place to hold preliminary talks with Roosters supremo Nick Politis as they look to strike an extension before rival clubs can begin speaking to the Samoan international.

“We’re commencing discussions with the Roosters shortly and my expectation is he will stay with the club long term,” Nakat said.

Leniu has overcome some early dramas to become a revelation at the Roosters, playing so well that he was rewarded with a place in the NSW side.

He has been outstanding for the Blues in this year’s series, tormenting the Queensland forwards with his hard running and aggression.

The Roosters are preparing to kick off contract talks with Spencer Leniu. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

No doubt, other clubs would love to bid for the 23-year-old. The Roosters star is one of only two players in the NSW side who can speak to rival clubs from November 1 – the other is North Queensland hooker Reece Robson.

The Queenslanders have a stack of players though who are yet to decide their long-term futures. Maroons veterans Ben Hunt and Daly Cherry-Evans have indicated they are set to play on with their respective clubs wanting to start talking at the end of the Origin series.

Hunt had flirted with the prospect of returning to Queensland but is now expected to finish his career at the Dragons while Cherry-Evans remains one of the game’s best players with Manly wanting to extend his deal.

Maroons teammate Harry Grant is technically a free agent with a player option in his favour for 2026. Brisbane are yet to formally announce a long-term deal with fullback Reece Walsh but the parties have agreed on a multi-year, million dollar contract.

Valentine Holmes, Selwyn Cobbo and Reuben Cotter are among the others.

Originally published as State of Origin Confidential: Haumole Olakau’atu banished, TV coverage roasted for clock failure