Manly players back Haumole Olakau’atu against Corey Parker after ban for involvement in Origin brawl
Manly players have rallied around teammate Haumole Olakau’atu, clapping back at Corey Parker’s call for heavier bans for the Blues forward for his involvement in last week’s wild Origin brawl.
Manly prop Josh Aloiai has fired back at Queensland legend Corey Parker over his call for Blues reserve Haumole Olakau’atu to receive a heavier ban for his involvement in the State of Origin III stoush.
Aloiai took to Instagram after the Sea Eagles’ 30-point victory over Gold Coast, posting a photo and tagging Parker with the caption “shuuuush”.
In the picture, which was uploaded to his Instagram story, Aloiai was joined by teammates Gordon Chan Kum Tong and Toafofoa Sipley holding up a poster with #FREESHMOLE printed in block letters, along with a picture of Olakau’atu behind bars.
The post was also accompanied by rapper Akon’s 2004 hit Locked Up.
Aloiai’s reaction comes days after Parker labelled Olakau’atu’s behaviour at Suncorp Stadium last Wednesday as unacceptable and ludicrous, calling for the Sea Eagles back-rower to receive at least a six-game ban.
Olakau’atu was not part of the match, but in what he described as “protecting his teammates,” the 25-year-old, dressed in a suit, entered the field of play, grabbing Valentine Holmes and jumping into the scuffle.
“Olakau’atu is dressed in his Sunday civvies in a suit and is then involved in the melee. It’s 100 per cent unacceptable,” Parker told SENQ.
“A player not even in the game is getting a two-week suspension. It’s completely unacceptable. It’s ludicrous. He should get six weeks at least.”
Both Parker and Aloiai’s reactions followed multiple club officials slamming the bans for Olakau’atu and Souths captain Cameron Murray, who also copped two games after getting involved in the fight off the bench.
Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles CEO’s Blake Solly and Tony Mestrov, both aired their frustrations, calling for bans that occur in representative matches to only be served in other rep games.
Mestrov told this masthead the logical decision would be for Olakau’atu to miss game one of Origin next year rather than games for Manly.
“What should happen, logic tells you, he should be suspended from the first Origin game next year and the same with Cam Murray,” Mestrov said.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo defended the length of the bans.
“Players making a conscious decision to leave the bench – even if they weren’t playing in the match – and involve themselves in foul play is an extremely serious offence that the game doesn’t stand for at any level,” he said.
The debate over the suspensions and impact has also opened further backlash to the current Origin schedule.
Rabbitohs Chairman Nick Pappas has urged the NRL to re-evaluate the timing of Origin and identify the issues which run further than the suspensions teams are facing.
“The attrition factor has grown over the years. I am sure there are more injuries now than ever before. The starting point is a discussion,” Pappas told this masthead.
“The competition is more intense than it has ever been. We need to look at it critically, not just put our blinkers on.
“The accountability and responsibility should be passed on to the representative fixtures, not the next club game.”
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