Yes, of course I saw the quote from the veteran league player Mark Carroll before game one of State of Origin on Reece Walsh: “As an old dinosaur, seeing someone so beautiful as Walsh, with his flowing hair and painted fingernails, I’d love to get my hands on him. His beautiful blue eyes would be spinning.” And also the one from Benny Elias: “We will physically obliterate this bloke from the first minute.
” And of course we all saw what happened to Walsh seven minutes in. His eyes were indeed spinning, when Joseph Suaalii’s right shoulder connected with Walsh’s jaw . Was there a connection between the Carroll and Elias quotes and the hit that took Walsh out, as so many have alleged in the raucous days since? Of course not.
The Carroll and Elias quotes are simply the kind of thing old footballers say before big matches. They’re not instructions. Was Walsh targeted, though? Of course he was.
Just the way every serious football team will target the best opposing player. But targeting just means “if you get a chance to put a hit on this bloke give it something extra”. And Suaalii obviously tried to do just that, in what can only be defined as a reckless manner – and yes, it was right that he be sent off because of it , even if it did ruin the game, and effectively the series, as the results were pre-ordained from that moment.
But malicious? Intending to connect with Walsh’s jaw? Again, obviously not. Who of the league players doesn’t know that if your sho.