NSW are concerned the NRL’s crackdown on fighting will result in Queensland pushing the boundaries with dirty tactics in an attempt to bait their State of Origin rivals into throwing punches.
The NRL has announced that following the game one stoush in which NSW skipper Paul Gallen hit Queensland’s Nate Myles, all players who throw punches on the field will be sin-binned immediately.
The Blues have already voiced their concerns about questionable tactics employed by Myles after their victory in game one – highlighting the Maroons enforcer’s history of leg twists and leading with the head in tackles.
Blues five-eighth James Maloney described leg twisting in tackles as a greater evil in rugby league than an Origin dust up, while teammate Josh Reynolds admitted concern that Queensland would ramp up niggling tactics to try to sucker their opponents into getting sin-binned.
“It probably will happen,” Reynolds said.
“Guys will just have to have bigger fuses obviously if that’s the new rule.
“We’ve got to abide by the rules, because that’s what the NRL have put in place.
“I really don’t know how it’s going to pan out. It will be interesting.”
After Gallen hit out at the fighting ban on Sydney radio on Sunday, Maloney supported his skipper by saying “there’s definitely bigger issues in the game than a little stink every now and then”.
“Especially in Origin football. It’s a pretty intense arena and tempers flare,” Maloney told AAP.
“I think blokes twisting knees are going to cause a lot more damage than a little footy stink.
“Origin football is a different style and brand of football. It’s a tough game.
“But twisting blokes’ knees, that’s not tough.
“And it’s going to cause more damage to blokes careers than having a little bit of fisticuffs every once in a while.”
Maloney was concerned that the game was moving away from what had made it one of the most anticipated spectacles on the sporting calendar every year.
“It’s something we don’t want to get away from,” he added.
“That’s why everyone likes watching it. It’s why everyone aspires to play it. If we start losing that, it will be pretty sad.”
Halfback Mitchell Pearce admitted it would be tough to avoid a rush of blood to the head when confronted with a situation in an Origin match – where the game is already played at a high intensity.
But with the spotlight shone firmly on the June 26 fixture, and the potential retribution which could come from a Queensland team still furious at Gallen’s actions, Pearce said he expected very little trouble in game two.
“I don’t really want to talk about the fighting stuff. It’s going to happen,” Pearce told AAP.
“It’s been going on for 100 years. That’s just human nature.
“If you’re playing backyard footy you’re going to have a fight, sometimes.
“I’m not much of a fighter but I don’t know how they’re going to manage it over the next eight to ten years, but I’m sure the next game is going to be nice and clean.
“Honestly, I think everyone is going to be more worried about winning the game.”
By Joe Barton in Sydney
[ Source: Australian Times ]