Reuben Cotter says he wasn't eye-gouged by Jarome Luai in Origin II
Queensland forward Reuben Cotter says he was not eye-gouged by Jarome Luai in State of Origin II, insistent he was just reacting to a shoulder from the NSW star.
Luai was on Wednesday night hit with a grade-two contrary conduct charge for unnecessary contact with Cotter’s face in a tackle during NSW’s 26-24 loss in Perth.
The charge came after Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga appeared to accuse Luai of a gouge in the lead up to a first-half scuffle between the two teams.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.After Payne Haas dropped a ball and Cotter dived on it, Luai drove into the Maroons second-rower on the ground.
His hand appeared to make contact with Cotter’s face as the pair pushed each other off, before Ponga made a raking motion to sideline officials.
Luai was placed on report, but cleared of a gouge by the NRL match review committee and instead hit with a $3900 fine.
Afterwards, Cotter said he had no issue with the hand on his face.
“I didn’t get eye gouged at all,” Cotter told AAP.
“He just came in with his elbow or his shoulder, I’m not sure what he came in with.
“I just stood up for myself, tried to push him off me.”
Cotter was sporting a heavy lump to his eye in the Maroons sheds after, but said that came from a clash with Liam Martin late in the game.
NSW players and coaches also defended Luai after the match, with the penalty against him contributing to an 8-0 first-half count against the Blues.
Coach Laurie Daley opted not to comment on the lopsided count after the match, claiming he couldn’t say what he really thought on the matter.
But Blues captain Isaah Yeo conceded NSW had to wear some of the blame for the ill discipline.
“There were certainly a few we were shooting ourselves with and they’re just penalties,” Yeo said.
“Some others were 50-50s. Some nights you get them and some nights you don’t.
“But what you can’t do is just go drop the ball in the next set when you’ve got the ball.
“You would obviously like that to be a bit more even, but we were our own worst enemies at times.”
