Veteran journalist Phil Rothfield has blasted the actions of Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans, believing he ignited the all-in melee during the Blues’ Game III win on Wednesday night.
Rothfield’s comments caused Maroons legend Gorden Tallis to stoutly defend Cherry-Evans, with Tallis believing the two players who should receive the most criticism are Cam Murray and 19th man Haumole Olakau’atu, who were on the bench when the scuffle started but ran in to get involved.
Rothfield wasn’t having Tallis’ rebuttal though, believing the situation escalated when Cherry-Evans pushed the head of Jarome Luai.
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Rothfield: It was a really critical moment in the game of football. It was 0-0 on the scoreboard and Queensland on zero tackle, they just get the football back. Luai picks it up and Cherry-Evans starts a stink with Luai.
Tallis: What’s the worst infringement in this?
Rothfield: But nothing happens Gorden. You’re on zero tackle mate, there were so few chances in the football game.
Tallis: What’s the worst infringement in this?
Rothfield: That’s got nothing to do with the infiringment. It wouldn’t have happened if Cherry-Evans hadn’t of started the stink. It’s DCE’s fault. I don’t care what you say. Of course it’s his fault.
Tallis: The worst infringement there was not DCE getting in a push. The worst infringement there in everybody’s language, is the two guys running from the sideline to get involved.
Rothfield: It was so harmful to Queensland in such a tough game to give away a penalty.
Tallis: If there was a strong referee,then those two blokes who come off the bench, one gets sent off and we get the penalty because the worst infirgement was two guys coming off the bench.
Rothfield: Gordie that has nothing to do with it. We are talking about an incident where Daly Cherry-Evans had no right to start a skirmish with Jarome Luai … It was so unnecessary.
Fox League’s James Hooper than interjected that it was clear that the Maroons came out with a game plan to ruffle the feathers of the Blues.
Queensland was dominated and “bullied” by the Blues forwards in Game II, and much was made about it.
“You could see that in the Maroons camp, there had been an edict laid down that we got bullied in Game II,” Hooper said.
“You could see it in not just this incident but throughout the game.”
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NRL360 co-host Braith Anasta disagreed with Rothfield, believing Jeremiah Nanai is the player most at blame for the melee igniting.
Nanai was the third man into the skirmish, and one of two players sin binned.
“I actually think Nanai is the one,” Anasta said.
“Nanai is the reason that the Blues got the penalty,” Hooper added.
“You’re overlooking the fact that Queensland had the ball on zero tackle and Cherry-Evans put on the stink that led to Nanai coming in that led to Murray (coming in),” Rothfield countered.
Source Agencies
