State of Origin 2023: Queensland Maroons handed breach notice and fined over Game 1 interchange stuff-up
Queensland Rugby League could be slapped with a hefty fine, after the NRL handed the Maroons a breach notice over an alleged interchange bungle.
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The Queensland Rugby League has been slapped with a proposed $30,000 fine for an interchange bungle in the wake of the Maroons’ epic Origin I defeat of the Blues.
The NRL on Friday issued a breach notice to Queensland’s governing body after the Maroons fielded 14 players for an estimated 30 seconds of their 26-18 defeat on NSW in the Origin series opener at Adelaide Oval.
The alleged breach occurred following an injury to Maroons player Tom Gilbert, who went down in the 18th minute after hurting his shoulder tackling a NSW opponent.
Maroons interchange prop Lindsay Collins entered the field of play to replace Gilbert, however the injured Queensland back-rower failed to leave the field of play.
That resulted in both players being on the field at the same time as confusion reigned on the Queensland reserves bench.
Referee Ashley Klein noticed the Maroons had 14 players on field and awarded a penalty to the Blues.
The QRL has five business days to respond to the notice.
Queensland Rugby League chief executive Ben Ikin said: “We’ll have a look at the vision, talk to the appropriate people and formulate our response.”
Despite the extra-man mix-up, the Maroons overcame the early chaos to record a stunning come-from-behind defeat of the Blues in one of the greatest wins in their 43-year Origin history.
Gilbert suffered a dislocated shoulder and faces months on the sidelines in a major blow for his club side the Dolphins.
Origin great Wally Lewis rated the victory among Queensland’s finest, alongside the heroes of
1989, when ‘The King’ engineered an epic fightback after the Maroons were reduced to 12 men in Origin II at the SFS.
Just like Beetson’s bravehearts 34 years ago, Slater’s class of 2023 defied the odds, overcoming the sin-binning of Tom Flegler, Murray Taulagi’s HIA and injuries to Selwyn Cobbo and Tom Gilbert to beat the Blues with 12 men.
Lewis famously scored a magical 40-metre try to snatch a 16-12 win after Queensland lost Allan Langer (broken leg), Mal Meninga (eye socket), Paul Vautin (elbow) and Michael Hancock (shoulder), while Bob Lindner played with a fractured ankle.
The Emperor of Lang Park declared Slater’s squad had captured the spirit of Queensland’s 1989 champions.
“I don’t know if that was our best ever win, but it’s as good as anything I have ever seen,” Lewis told News Corp.
“I remember what we went through all those years ago (in Game Two of 1989) and just like that night, this Queensland team did the job with 12 men.
“For me, there was nothing better than seeing the looks on the faces of the Blues at full-time.
“They had this stunned look saying, ‘How have these Queensland bastards done it yet again?’
“It was a wonderful performance and the courage they showed to win for the Queensland jumper was simply extraordinary.”
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