Blues rally around Sua'ali'i as ban threatens to end his Origin career

Blues players have vowed to rally around Joseph Sua’ali’i and predict he will bounce back from the lengthy suspension set to his immediate Origin career.

Sua’ali’i, who is heading to rugby union at the end of the NRL season, had an Origin debut to forget after being sent off in just the eighth minute of Wednesday night’s series opener at Accor Stadium.

With the Blues forced to play a man down for 72 minutes, players admitted it was almost impossible to win but they did not blame Sua’ali’i, who is facing a suspension of four to five weeks after being charged with a Grade 2 reckless high tackle.

“Joey has got a great head on his shoulders, he has got so much family here and they are proud of him,” said veteran fullback James Tedesco, who is Sua’ali’i’s captain at the Roosters.

“I’m proud of him, to be his club captain and to see him come through as a junior.

“Obviously, it is not the way you imagine your debut, but we will get around and support him. Hopefully he gets another crack, but it is hard for him, and we just have to support him as much as possible.”

The 20-year-old has earned the unwanted record for the earliest send off in Origin history and any suspension may cost him another chance in a Blues jersey as the Roosters play just four matches before Origin III, while having two byes.

Interchange prop Spencer Leniu, who also plays with Sua’ali’i at Sydney Roosters and was a Samoa team-mate at the 2022 World Cup, said he would overcome the setback.

“That is just the game we play. You have got to take the good with the bad and he got the bad end of the stick today," Leniu said.

But the good thing about Joey is that he is such a wonderful young kid and he will do everything in his power to get back in this jersey again to repay the boys."

NSW coach Michael Maguire must now find a new centre for Origin II at the MCG on June 26, while he is also likely consider whether to carry a back on the bench after being forced to use Liam Martin, Angus Crichton and Hudson Young in the centres.

In contrast, Maroons coach Billy Slater was able to thrust Selwyn Cobbo into action at left centre, while Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow moved to fullback to replace Reece Walsh, who was KO’d in the tackle by Sua’ali’i.

“It makes it real tough when you are seven minutes in, and you lose a man,” Tedesco said.

“It’s hard enough to win NRL games with a man down but to have a man down in an Origin game for 72 minutes, makes it really hard.

“I felt like the first half we were fighting really hard and we were making good metres, but Queensland have got strike all over the park. They lose Reece and they bring Selwyn on.

"We fought hard but it definitely catches up to you by the end of the second half.”

Blues right winger Zac Lomax, who was one of five players making their Origin debuts, along with Sua’ali’i, Leniu, Cameron McInnes and Haumolo Olakau'atu, was defending on the edge with Sua’ali’i but insists he didn’t see the tackle.

“I feel for Joey, to be sent off in the first couple of minutes. It is not ideal in an Origin game to play with 12 men so I thought we showed a lot of character,” Lomax said.

“That is Origin footy and it was a massive spanner thrown into the works but you have got to be able to adapt to those things.

“We definitely aren’t making any excuses. I thought our effort was outstanding.”