‘Bit of a sore loser’: Jarome Luai avoids ban but angers Blues fans with controversial post

Jarome Luai may have avoided a ban for headbutting Reece Walsh, but he’s upset plenty of Blues fans with a controversial social media post.

Rugby league has a new rivalry after Jarome Luai and Reece Walsh were both sent off as Queensland wrapped up the Origin series. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Jarome Luai and Reece Walsh have avoided bans for an ugly altercation at the end of Wednesday night’s Origin mauling at Suncorp Stadium that led to both being sent off, while the NSW playmaker has also come under fire for a controversial social media post.

The fiery duo were both fined 23 per cent of their match fees after they were hit with grade 2 striking charges for headbutting each other in the final minute.

Walsh also received a grade 1 dangerous contact charge for another incident involving the NSW five-eighth earlier in the second half, with no love lost between the pair after the Broncos fullback pulled Luai’s hair in the series opener.

Reece Walsh and Jarome Luai were both sent off for their roles in the ugly finish to the game. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“I didn’t get baited – I am a professional,” Luai told reporters after the game.

“I am not going to repeat what was said out there.

“If you want to ask him, he might tell you. He won the Origin series. Just a bit of passion. Bit of a sore loser as well – me not them.

“They won. It is footy. What happens on the field, stays on the field. Queensland wins the series so good on them.”

Blues winger Josh Addo-Carr was fined 10 per cent of his match fee for throwing a punch in the fracas as the Blues lost their heads, the game and the series thanks to a 32-6 defeat in Brisbane.

Jarome Luai’s Instagram post on Thursday morning has not gone down well with Blues fans.

While Luai won’t miss any games, he may have lost the support of a large chunk of NSW supporters after an early morning Instagram post in which he wrote “Chill, all you idiots have work tomorrow morning. We go again”.

The Panthers star is one of the most polarising figures in the game and has never been afraid to stick to his guns.

Luai’s post was most likely directed towards the countless trolls who have abused him online in the past, but it has already caused plenty of offence.

It’s not a good look for a team that mustered very little in attack, which has led to plenty of calls for mass changes in the dead rubber in Sydney.

Brad Fittler has been heavily criticised for playing Damien Cook out of position. Picture: Adam Head

That’s on top of calls for coach Brad Fittler to be sacked, with the NSWRL unlikely to renew his contract following back-to-back defeats and a string of baffling calls, including the decision to play Damien Cook at centre for 77 minutes after Tom Trbojevic left the field with a pec tear.

“We’ve got another game to go, so I'll worry about that and then we’ll see what happens with ‘Troddo’ (NSWRL chair Dave Trodden) and the board. We’ll check it out then,” Fittler said.

“I'll just worry about the next game. We’ve got a couple of weeks and get an opportunity to tidy things up and turn things around and then we can discuss it then.”