Captain Ibis
Squad Member
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/st...EXot5gN3MdZ1e4ne6VUoIHhjRByyuE0trjXb4kfjquh0w
It’s game day, baby!
Queensland and New South Wales will face-off in a must-win Origin II clash at Suncorp Stadium.
And in true Origin spirit, the drama keeps unfolding before a ball is even kicked.
MULITALO SET TO BE RULED OUT
It seems Ronaldo Mulitalo’s Origin dream is over with The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield revealing he is set to be ruled out of game two on Sunday.
New South Wales Rugby League raised concern over Mulitalo’s eligibility after he was promoted to Paul Green’s starting side.
It seems the concern was enough for the NRL to stop Mulitalo from making his Origin debut.
According to a News Corpreport, the NRL’s executive team met on Saturday night after receiving the NSWRL’s concerns and have made the call to prevent Mulitalo taking the field.
QLD ROOKIE GETS BACKING FROM A TRUE BLUE
It wouldn’t be State of Origin without a big eligibility question mark hovering over a player and this year it’s Qld rookie Ronaldo Mulitalo that’s entered the conversation.
But interestingly, the 21-year-old has received the support of ex-Blues coach Phil Gould.
Mulitalo was originally named in the reserves for Sunday’s game but an injury to Reece Walsh forced Maroons coach Paul Green to reshuffle his backline and bring Mulitalo onto the wing.
However, the Blues aren’t happy about it and so New South Wales Rugby League questioned the NRL over Mulitalo’s eligibility.
Mulitalo has received the backing from a very unlikely supporter in Gould who said it is “laughable” that NSWRL are challenging Mulitalo’s eligibility and believes the Cronulla Sharks winger has “more than met the criteria to be selected for Qld.”
DEBUTANT’S STATE OF ORIGIN QUESTIONED
Well, that did not take long.
Just hours after it was confirmed Ronaldo Mulitalo would come in for Reece Walsh, questions of his eligibility were being raised.
The Australian’s chief rugby league writer Brent Read has tweeted that “NSW Rugby League have formally raised concerns with the NRL over Ronaldo Mulitalo’s eligibility for Queensland.”
It appears that the Blues were blissfully unaware that the Sharks winger might in fact be ineligible until questions started being raised on social media.
At least, that’s what Read believes triggered the Blues’ 11th hour question to authorities.
“We have been alerted to some concerns around the eligibility of Ronaldo Mulitalo as a result of a story which appeared on the QRL website,” NSWRL’s Dave Trodden told News Corp.
“As a consequence of this issue, we have made an inquiry with the NRL as to the status of Ronaldo’s eligibility and we are awaiting from a response from them.”
Mulitalo was born in New Zealand, but arrived in Australia aged 14. State of Origin rules dictate that a representative must be in Australia by the age of 13.
Adding to the murkiness, Mulitalo played Origin at under-18s and under-20s level.
Will authorities let this one slide?
Either way, it’s drama on Origin eve.
It’s game day, baby!
Queensland and New South Wales will face-off in a must-win Origin II clash at Suncorp Stadium.
And in true Origin spirit, the drama keeps unfolding before a ball is even kicked.
MULITALO SET TO BE RULED OUT
It seems Ronaldo Mulitalo’s Origin dream is over with The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield revealing he is set to be ruled out of game two on Sunday.
New South Wales Rugby League raised concern over Mulitalo’s eligibility after he was promoted to Paul Green’s starting side.
It seems the concern was enough for the NRL to stop Mulitalo from making his Origin debut.
According to a News Corpreport, the NRL’s executive team met on Saturday night after receiving the NSWRL’s concerns and have made the call to prevent Mulitalo taking the field.
QLD ROOKIE GETS BACKING FROM A TRUE BLUE
It wouldn’t be State of Origin without a big eligibility question mark hovering over a player and this year it’s Qld rookie Ronaldo Mulitalo that’s entered the conversation.
But interestingly, the 21-year-old has received the support of ex-Blues coach Phil Gould.
Mulitalo was originally named in the reserves for Sunday’s game but an injury to Reece Walsh forced Maroons coach Paul Green to reshuffle his backline and bring Mulitalo onto the wing.
However, the Blues aren’t happy about it and so New South Wales Rugby League questioned the NRL over Mulitalo’s eligibility.
Mulitalo has received the backing from a very unlikely supporter in Gould who said it is “laughable” that NSWRL are challenging Mulitalo’s eligibility and believes the Cronulla Sharks winger has “more than met the criteria to be selected for Qld.”
DEBUTANT’S STATE OF ORIGIN QUESTIONED
Well, that did not take long.
Just hours after it was confirmed Ronaldo Mulitalo would come in for Reece Walsh, questions of his eligibility were being raised.
The Australian’s chief rugby league writer Brent Read has tweeted that “NSW Rugby League have formally raised concerns with the NRL over Ronaldo Mulitalo’s eligibility for Queensland.”
It appears that the Blues were blissfully unaware that the Sharks winger might in fact be ineligible until questions started being raised on social media.
At least, that’s what Read believes triggered the Blues’ 11th hour question to authorities.
“We have been alerted to some concerns around the eligibility of Ronaldo Mulitalo as a result of a story which appeared on the QRL website,” NSWRL’s Dave Trodden told News Corp.
“As a consequence of this issue, we have made an inquiry with the NRL as to the status of Ronaldo’s eligibility and we are awaiting from a response from them.”
Mulitalo was born in New Zealand, but arrived in Australia aged 14. State of Origin rules dictate that a representative must be in Australia by the age of 13.
Adding to the murkiness, Mulitalo played Origin at under-18s and under-20s level.
Will authorities let this one slide?
Either way, it’s drama on Origin eve.