Blues’ Reece Walsh move is an ‘up yours’ to Queensland

NSW has quietly sent Queensland an “up yours” before Origin II with a training camp act focused on Reece Walsh.

Joseph Sua'ali'i has been Reece Walsh this week.

NSW has quietly sent Queensland an “up yours” before State of Origin II.

That’s the analysis from leading rugby league journalist Danny Weidler after watching the Blues’ sly move against Reece Walsh.

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Roosters centre Joseph Sua’ali’i famously wiped out Queensland’s star fullback early into the series opener won by the Maroons — and was hit with a four-match ban on top of being sent off, leaving NSW a man down for most of the series opener.

Sua’ali’i’s hit sparked a war of words between the two camps with a number of Queensland figures declaring it was premeditated act and Blues coach Michael Maguire responded by saying some Maroons figures might be living in “glass houses”.

That was viewed as a sleight at Queensland coach Billy Slater’s own checkered history at the NRL Judiciary.

The drama has swirled again this week with the Blues bringing Sua’ali’i into camp.

Weidler has now revealed Sua’ali’i has also performed the role of acting as Walsh during NSW training sessions.

Joseph Sua'ali'i has been Reece Walsh this week.

The Channel 9 reporter said Sua’ali’i’s role was something of an “up yours” to Queensland.

“I thought it was interesting they brought in Joseph Sua’ali’i into camp and played him in the role of Reece Walsh at fullback in their opposed sessions,” Weidler told Sky Sports Radio.

“That’s smart play by Madge (Maguire) on a number of fronts. It says a couple of things to me about a message they’re trying to send to Queensland.

“First of all, they’re a united team. They’re not copping this narrative that somehow Joseph went out there deliberately to try and do what he did. They’re getting around him and showing he’s still very welcome in their organisation. He’s going to be down here on match day as well.

“Secondly, they’re obviously worried about Reece Walsh. It’s a bit of an up yours to Queensland by saying, ‘Well if you want us to somehow be dirty on this bloke, well we’re not. We’re united’.

“I thought it was a bit of an interesting move by the Blues and in some ways provocative. It would have been noted by Queensland.”

It comes as figures inside the Queensland camp had also been left unhappy about how the event has been promoted by Channel 9 ahead of Wednesday’s blockbuster at the MCG.

The Nine Network has released a series of commercials to promote the huge game, where the Blues will try to level the series, and one in particular has not gone down well in Queensland.

This incident has reignited concerns on both sides of the border. Photo: NRL Photos / Brett Costello

Around 10 seconds into a 50-second ad, footage is shown of Sua’ali’i lining up Walsh from game one.

While the actual moment of impact is not shown in the commercial, QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher slammed the decision to use that incident to help drum up interest in Game 2.

“I think it’s inappropriate and totally wrong,” Hatcher told the SMH.

“There were plenty of other tackles they could have used. I hated that photo on the front page of the (Daily Telegraph) the next day with Reece’s eyes rolled to the back of his head.

“The players are bigger, faster and tougher … they hit with a whole heap of force now, so I would err on the side of conservatism rather than (promoting) the gung-ho stuff.

“I see a big cross-section of people these days. I know if we’re going to promote that type of fringe behaviour, the game will perish through litigation.

Walsh was in a terrible state after the hit. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“I think Reece is a sensational talent. He’s a very different individual … but if we condone any action that takes those sort of people out of the game, then I think the game is a shocking loser.”

While Slater has largely stayed silent on the controversy, Queensland great Johnathan Thurston gave his thoughts the morning after Game 1.

“They clearly had a target on him and it didn’t turn out right. The officials had no other option, really,” he said.

Maguire wasn’t having any of it, staunchly defending Suaalii, who he has invited into the NSW came for the second game.

“You’ve got to make sure that you don’t live in glass houses, that’s all I’ll say,” he said.

“Things happen on the field. Joey is a special human being, and for him to have to deal with that (criticism wasn’t on).

“He’ll be in and around the camp at some stage, but things happen on the field.

“It’s glass houses. Interesting.

“He’s my player, they’re my players. If you want to have a crack at our players, we’re about us and what we’re doing, and you’ve got to make sure that when you’re with your players that you look after them. That’s what I’m doing.”