Queensland struck first in State of Origin II but a controversial pass had New South Wales fuming.
Maroons backrower Felise Kaufusi burst onto a Kalyn Ponga ball to score 22 minutes into the Perth contest, but the Queensland fullback’s pass appeared to be forward.
Kaufusi may have even travelled past Ponga before the Knights co-captain released the footy.
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Matt Burton, who defends on the same edge, was among the Blues players protesting against the pass to referee Ashley Klein.
“They are blowing up here, the NSW outside backs,” rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns said in Nine’s commentary.
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The Blues’ most desperate attempts to have the try overturned were in vain because the Bunker isn’t allowed to rule on forward passes, leaving NSW helpless early in its quest to level the series.
Plenty of eagle-eyed viewers were sceptical of the pass.
https://twitter.com/Cody_KayeFOX/status/1541011028141838336https://twitter.com/LMcKirdy7/status/1541003258742726656
Although Kaufusi may have received a huge dose of luck in bagging the opener, the Storm forward was sin-binned later in the first half for an infringement against Blues prop Junior Paulo.
Kaufusi held down Paulo for too long in the ruck just centimetres from the Maroons’ try line.
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