Queensland debutant Ronaldo Mulitalo has reportedly been ruled ineligible to play State of Origin, on the day of game two.
Multiple reports said that New-Zealand born Mulitalo, the rookie Maroons winger who was meant to play his first Origin on Sunday night at Suncorp Stadium, would sensationally be cast out of the game. Xavier Coates, the Maroons winger dropped after Origin I, is set to replace Mulitalo.
The NSW Rugby League dropped a bombshell on the eve of Sunday's Origin match, in which the Blues could win the series, by lodging a formal complaint about Mulitalo's inclusion in the Queensland side.
Though the Cronulla Sharks winger has been a junior Maroons representative, NSWRL wants clarification on whether he resided in Queensland before his 13th birthday, as eligibility rules demand. Mulitalo, now 21, reportedly moved to Queensland with his family just before turning 14, having been born in Auckland.
Maroons legend Johnathan Thurston said the timing of the eligibility complaint was "very unfortunate" and "standard NSW".
Thurston railed against claims of underhandedness from Queensland, who have weathered past eligibility controversies over the likes of Greg Inglis.
"Cheating already? Come on," Thurston said on TODAY on Sunday, before news broke of Mulitalo's exclusion.
"He's been in our under-18s Maroons, he's played for the under-20s Maroons, he's been a part of our emerging Origin team for a number of years.
"So I don't know how this has come about but from our point of view, he will be playing. Everything's been passed, his contract's been lodged with the NRL.
"It's very unfortunate at this stage - but that's just standard NSW, isn't it?"
Thurston wasn't alone in his criticism, with legendary NSW coach Phil Gould branding the qualification rules "stupid" and saying that Mulitalo should be free to play.
Yet NSW great Andrew Johns said that the rules had to be upheld.
"Rule are rules. I wish he was still playing but they're the rules," Johns said on Sports Sunday, as news broke of Mulitalo being declared ineligible.
Mulitalo was brought into the Maroons side on the wing after an injury to 18-year-old fullback Reece Walsh, who was injured in training camp. Valentine Holmes has moved to the No.1 position, where he played in the series opener.
"He's obviously a little bit down," Thurston said of Walsh.
"It's always an exciting time when you're making your debut at Origin level, so to be ruled out with a hamstring injury is unfortunate but that gives somebody else an opportunity now.
"He's a young, confident kid and no doubt he'll bounce back."
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from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/state-of-origin-ronaldo-mulitalo-queensland-eligibility-furore-johnathan-thurston-reacts/9fcd4550-24db-40a1-b5ca-8e9727691b54
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