Murray, Nanai binned as tempers flare in Origin decider

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Murray, Nanai binned as tempers flare in Origin decider

Cameron Murray has achieved the rare feat of being sin-binned from the bench, while Jeremiah Nanai was also marched after a first-half State of Origin decider scuffle that spilled over the sideline.

Queensland backrower Nanai elevated a push-and-shove between his captain Daly Cherry-Evans and NSW playmaker Jarome Luai when he barged into the pair, before Murray sensationally came from the bench to join the action.

Blues 19th man Haumole Olakau’atu – in dress shoes and formal attire – was also evicted from the playing field after he entered the fray.

Players came from all sides as television monitors and chairs were scattered by the flying bodies.

With Murray already benched it was Blues forward Mitch Barnett that was taken from the playing field to even up the numbers.

Emotions boiled over on Wednesday at a packed Suncorp Stadium after a tense, scoreless opening 20 minutes was dominated by huge defence.

Cherry-Evans and Luai exchanged pleasantries off the ball to spark the melee, Nanai earning a 10-minute rest after he flew in and pushed the pair towards the sideline.

Murray, who had just been substituted, came from the bench and ended up at the bottom of a pile of players.

“That’s unacceptable, he needs to be sent,” Cherry-Evans said to referee Ashley Klein after he opted to sin-bin Murray rather than send him off.

An absorbing first half finished 2-0, Valentine Holmes slotting a penalty goal after the siren to break the deadlock.

Queensland are chasing a 10th win from the last 11 deciders but, after being blown away in a game-two loss in Melbourne, were under the pump early against a fired-up NSW.

Five-eighth Tom Dearden kept the hosts intact though, cutting Blues forward Liam Martin in half with a perfect tackle on his tryline.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Murray #Nanai #binned #tempers #flare #Origin #decider

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up