Maroons star Kalyn Ponga became the seventh player sent off in Origin history, with the fullback given his marching orders for a shoulder charge in the series opener.
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Ponga came over in cover defence as Tolu Koula made a break down the left sideline with Queensland leading 20-6, but collected Blues’ winger’s head with his own.
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“It’s a head clash but he doesn’t even try and wrap his arm. I think they’ll rule this is a sin bin even though it’s head on head,” Maroons great Cam Smith said.
Koula would eventually come from the ground and fail a HIA.
On-field referee Ashley Klein appeared to overrule the Bunker’s call of a sin bin, instead deciding to give Ponga his marching orders.
“It’s a shoulder charge that makes direct contact to the head. You have a duty of care, you’re off,” Klein said when directing Ponga off the remaining 23 minutes.
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It left Blues legend Andrew Johns stunned.
“I bleed blue but that Ponga decision is just outrageous,” he said in commentary.
Maroons great Cameron Smith was equally baffled.
“No way … that’s remarkable,” Smith said on Channel Nine.
“In the last few years we’ve been disappointed by the influence by the Bunker. They wanted to say ten minutes because it was a head clash,” Johns added.
The decision not only gave New South Wales a one man advantage, it lit a fire under them.
The Blues took full advantage, scoring three tries in the final 20 minutes to cap the greatest Origin comeback of all time.