State of Origin Tackle: Jarome Luai placed on report for alleged eye gouge
Experts predicted Jarome Luai’s late inclusion in the Blues side for State of Origin II would annoy the Maroons to no end - but an alleged eye-gouge wasn’t in the script. WATCH THE VIDEO.
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Fatima Kdouh reveals her likes and dislikes from game two of the 2025 State of Origin series.
ORIGIN II DISLIKES
LUAI’S QUESTIONABLE ACT
Jarome Luai’s facial on Reuben Cotter which resulted in the NSW five-eighth being placed on report for an alleged eye gouge.
The unsavoury incident with Cotter happened in the 19th minute with replays showing Luai had his hand on Cotter’s face.
Wednesday night’s clash descended into a fiery encounter with tensions threatening to boil over numerous times in the high-energy first half in Perth.
Champion halfback Nathan Cleary appeared to be hampered by a quad issue during the opening exchanges.
Star Blues and Parramatta winger Zac Lomax was put on report for elbowing Maroons forward Trent Loiero in the face while Sydney Roosters forward Angus Crichton was put on report for a high shot on teammate Robert Toia.
OFF CENTRE
They’re two of the most damaging centres in the NRL but Blues duo Stephen Crichton and Latrell Mitchell were completely nullified in the first half.
Somehow Canterbury skipper Crichton finished the first 40 minutes without a single run, two missed tackles and an error.
Mitchell didn’t fare much better in the opening exchanges with the powerful back beaten in the defence in both of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s tries and only managed 23 metres from four runs.
Crichton showed how lethal he can be mid way through the second-half powering through the Maroons left hand side defence to keep the Blues in the hunt.
Halves Nathan Cleary and Luai needed to get both of their power men clean ball early in the first half but it never happened.
SPENCER FIZZLES
Every fan, Blue or Maroon, wanted to see it.
Spencer Leniu running off the back fence and skittling Queensland defenders in Perth.
Leniu was filthy in the series opener when the Maroons refused to kick to him when he first got onto the field at Suncorp Stadium.
Some said the move was tactical, others said it showed Queensland had a soft belly.
But ‘Back Fence Spence’ never came on Wednesday night either.
The anticipated fireworks were replaced by fizzles, robbing rugby league fans in Perth of a memorable Origin moment.
He took the kick-off with six minutes left but the charge, but it hardly lived up to the expectation.
Leniu was dubbed public enemy no.1 in Queensland in the lead-up to game one after his run in with Johnathan Thurston over the Ezra Mam racism scandal.
GOAL KICKING WOES
NSW’s goal kicking woes continued into game two.
Those struggles at the kicking tee in Perth all but robbed the Blues of the chance to seal the series.
Zac Lomax took over kicking duties on Wednesday night with Nathan Cleary said to be struggling through a quad injury.
But Lomax, who is kicking at almost 80 per cent at club level, only managed to nail two from five conversions in Perth in the narrow two-point loss.
Cleary had also missed three goal kicks in game one before Lomax took over the kicking tee, only for him to miss one as well.
Laurie Daley has other options to consider outside of Cleary and Lomax, both Stephen Crichton and Latrell Mitchell could take over the duties.
ORIGIN II LIKES
TO’O TERRIFIC
Blockbusting Blues winger Brian To’o was supposed to be in doubt with a hamstring injury.
Blues medical staff wrapped him in cotton wool and he didn’t train fully until last Saturday.
Coach Laurie Daley even rushed Bulldogs back Jacob Kiraz into NSW camp as cover.
But the ever reliable To’o was easily the Blues best in Wednesday night’s 26-24 loss.
He finished with a game high 203 metres, three tackle busts, two line breaks and three tries that kept the Blues in the contest.
If the Blues are any chance in the decider in three weeks, To’o needs to be at his best again.
FORWARDS RESPONDS
The lack of grit and mongrel from Queensland’s forwards was put under the spotlight after game one.
But Billy Slater’s unfancied forward pack stood up to the occasion.
While Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moe Fotuaika did not churn out big metres, both big men were clearly up for the contest and refused to be bullied by the Blues.
Lindsay Collins and Pat Carrigan also played with impact from the bench, finishing with 92 and 82 metres respectively.
SLATER REPRIEVE
The writing seemed to be on the wall for Maroons coach Billy Slater.
The Blues were supposed to be the far superior team and he was 80 minutes away from being left to fight for his career as Queensland coach.
Slater was staring down the barrel of a second-straight series loss, a record that no Maroons coach has survived.
Not the great Wally Lewis (1993-94), not Paul Vautin (1996-97), nor Michael Hagan (2004-05) and not Kevin Walters (2018-19).
But Slater’s future is still not guaranteed, and if history is anything to go by, only a win in Sydney will save his career.
Given how his side responded and galvanised for Slater after a tumultuous 24 hours, the coach will go to Sydney confident of having a job in 2026.
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Originally published as State of Origin Tackle: Jarome Luai placed on report for alleged eye gouge
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