Legends blasted the Kangaroos after they were made to look like minnows as Tonga scored the biggest upset in international rugby league history.
Tonga have claimed arguably the biggest scalp in rugby league history as they defeated the World Champion Australian side 16-12.
Australia led at half time but two tries early in the second half drove the Tongans to the incredible victory.
Tonga beat New Zealand at the World Cup before last week beating Great Britain last week and then claiming the big scalp of the Kangaroos in front of the vocal crowd that packed out Eden Park in Wellington.
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"Can you believe this?"Fox Sports commentator Warren Smith asked.
Ex-NRL star Braith Anasta admitted he had "goosebumps" after the stirring victory.
Tongan prop Siosiua Taukeiaho praised the fans for turning out for the game and said "it feels good to beat all three tier one teams".
"I'm confident in our team, we've fought really hard and really well during the least couple of years," he said. "Wasn't really expecting this this early but the boys fought really well. We don't do it for ourselves, we do it for all these people who are here to support us."
Forget the @rugbyworldcup final, how good was that Tonga win?! #matematonga #OceaniaCup
— Paul Harper (@pauljmharper) November 2, 2019
To put that game in context, that marks just Australia’s 100th Test loss since their first official game in 1908. #RoosTonga
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) November 2, 2019
Aside from the 17 Kangaroos on the field and Australia’s coaching staff, I doubt any person is upset by that result. What a moment in rugby league. #RoosTonga
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) November 2, 2019
Rugby league legends praised the Tongan stars but roasted the Aussie stars.
On Channel 9, Andrew Johns said Australia was "really poor" but Tonga players' sacrifices have lifted the side to the the level they reach.
“I don’t think Australia respected the opposition,” Johns said. “It was the last game and I think they were thinking they would roll the sleeves up for 20 minutes and they would get the job done.
“I think they need to have a real hard look at themselves some of the guys.”
NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler also stuck the boot in to the Kangaroos.
"A few of the Australians were just waiting for the season to finish," Fittler said. "If (coach) Mal (Meninga) is fair dinkum, he's most probably looking at the game thinking we need a few different players there. They just didn't put their hands up for the big moments, took really easy options and let each other, and ... let Australia down.
"Really poor standard. They set a really good standard in Illawarra (last week) and they didn't back it up at all. There's a good chance a few of those blokes won't be there next year."
“They let Australia down, they let the jersey down… There’s a good chance a few of these blokes won’t be there next yearâ€
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) November 2, 2019
Joey, Freddy and Sam DESTROY the Kangaroos after their stunning loss to Tonga.
Watch #RoosTonga LIVE on @9Gem
#TripleHeader #9WWOS #OceaniaCup pic.twitter.com/iBE5NW0sTu
Fittler slammed the likes of Daly Cherry Evans and Latrell Mitchell's performances as Johns said the Kangaroos didn't respect Tonga.
Sharks premiership winner Michael Ennis said it was "incredible" while Penrith legend Greg Alexander said the result was even more special because Tonga played without recognised halves.
"For us as Australians, I'm in shock," Ennis said. "I haven't seen Australia get beat like that for such a long time. But what a moment for Tonga."
SCORES
Tonga 16-12 Australia
New Zealand 12-8 Great Britain
Samoa 18-44 Fiji
While it looked like Australia were sparked into action after the early try, the Tongans were not about to give up without a fight.
In fact, the Tongans are in the lead with 25 minutes to go.
The vocal crowd will have no voice tomorrow with a defining roar as Tevita Pangai Jr crossed to give the red and white the lead.
It saw the crowd go mad after the huge result.
It comes after Michael Jennings crossed early in the second half to set up the lead.
A scoreless opening 20 minutes has been broken with Tonga putting Australia on the back foot.
Will Hopoate ran out of dummy half and split the Kangaroos defence, sending the fans into a frenzy as the Tongan Invitational scored first.
It's a massive strike as the tier two nation stayed with the Kangaroos and now kick ahead 6-0 after 22 minutes.
The Kangaroos have quickly responded with the side crossing through Jack Wighton doing it all himself.
After getting the ball out wide after Payne Haas ran sideways before linking up with the centre, Clive Churchill medallist Wighton avoided an obstruction and found a gap in the line before powering his way for the try.
Paul Vaughan then handed the Kangaroos their first lead of the game as he barged his way across the line to make it 12-6 after 32 minutes.
Incredible scenes have again come out from the Tonga's challenge to the Australians before the rugby league Test match between the nations.
It's the second time the sides have played with the tier 2 Tongan side looking to continue it's brilliant recent record as it matches it with rugby league's best.
They are looking for their last scalp they need after previously claiming wins over New Zealand and last week against Great Britain.
On Fox Sports, Warren Smith said: "The transformation in this stadium of the red flags coming out, it's amazing what has happened in the last half an hour or so since the Test between New Zealand and Great Britain finished."
Braith Anasta said the atmosphere was "unbelievable" before the Sipi Tau war dance from Tonga.
"If that doesn't fire you up, nothing will," Anasta said.
In front of a wild Tongan crowd, the war dance was almost drowned out by the vocal crowd.
Early in the match, Channel 9's Phil Gould said the Tongan crowd were "relentless" and he'd "never heard anything like this".
Tonga invitational coach Kristian Woolf is adamant the minnow nation is better placed than ever to claim another slice of history and upset Australia.
Woolf’s side will look to become the first tier-two nation to defeat the Kangaroos when they battle in Saturday’s rugby league triple-header in Auckland. Samoa face Fiji and New Zealand meet Great Britain in the curtain-raisers at Eden Park before the feature match between the rising powerhouse and world No.1.
Officially sanctioned as a Test by International Rugby League, the Tongan side enter the contest after toppling the Lions in Hamilton last week, while Australia flexed their muscles by routing the Kiwis in Wollongong.
Saturday’s clash pits powerful Tongan big men Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo against Australian backline stars James Tedesco and Cameron Munster.
“The blokes have all done a really good job in terms of how they’ve come in fit. We’ve had a good almost two-and-a-half weeks together now,” Woolf said. “And coming off the back of a game and performance that we were really happy with last weekend certainly puts us in the best position we’ve been in.”
The triple-header is expected to attract a bumper crowd primarily made up of Tongan fans in the 50,000-capacity stadium.
The occasion comes after weeks of uncertainty around Tongans’ participation because of the players’ dispute with their nation’s board.
It forced the International Rugby League to suspend the Tongan National Rugby League’s membership, allowing the game to proceed.
“I think it would’ve put us backwards a number of years if it didn’t go ahead and I think it would’ve really hurt international rugby league as well,” Woolf said.
“The important this is that we’re all here.”
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga conceded there was always a fear of failure for Australia given their dominance on the international stage.
Their only loss to a team other than New Zealand, England or Great Britain was against France all the way back in 1978.
“You always go into games, particularly at this level, (with a) fear of failure,” Meninga said.
“And that’s been a common theme for the Kangaroos for a long period of time. (But) our preparation’s been very good.”
The Kiwis have made two changes from last week, with Kieran Foran in for the axed Shaun Johnson and Joseph Tapine in for Braden Hamlin-Uele.
Australia have included debutant Cameron Murray on the bench for Ben Hunt.
– AAP
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