Maroons fullback Reece Walsh is keen to resume his battle with Blues five-eighth Jarome Luai following the pair’s double send off the last time the two players met in the Origin arena.
Luai accused Walsh of pulling his hair and “running away” in the aftermath of the Maroons’ Game I win last year.
Things became far more heated in Game II, with the two coming face-to-face in the dying minutes which started an all-in fracas and Luai headbutting Walsh.
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Both players were sent off, and later fined, for their role in starting the fracas during Queensland’s 32-6 win.
Walsh missed Game III of last year’s series due after he was suspended for swearing at a referee during a Broncos game, while the Blues dropped Luai for the dead rubber.
Speaking ahead of next Wednesday’s opener, Walsh said he’s looking forward to playing against Luai.
“Luai, yeah … it’s exciting. It’s going to be good,” Walsh said.
“We’re two really competitive people. There are people you want to play with and against who give their all.”
“It’s just passion, pride in your state, pride for your teammates and the people you are doing it for.
“You don’t want to let people down, that’s footy. You go out and play with passion and sometimes it boils over a bit, but at the end of the day it’s just footy.”
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Luai copped plenty of criticism for the way he conducted himself on social media following the send off.
The playmaker posted a picture of himself with the caption “Chill, All you idiots have work tomorrow morning” at 4am the morning after the game.
Luai revealed the post was directed at fans who sent him death threats after the game.
Before last year’s grand final between the Broncos and Panthers, Walsh defended Luai and panned those who sent the Penrith star death threats.
“When you step off the field, it is a whole different thing. I think people forget sometimes that we are normal people with young families to go home to,” Walsh said.
Source Agencies
