‘Let my brothers down’ Sua’ali’i responds to monster ban

Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i has declared he ‘let my brothers down’ in the wake of a four-game suspension which could end his State of Origin career after just seven minutes.

The NSW centre was given the hefty ban for his sickening shot that knocked Queensland star Reece Walsh out of the contest.

The Blues centre became just the sixth player to be sent off in Origin history – as well as the earliest to be marched from the field – when he launched out of the line and whacked the fullback high and late.

Even the most one-eyed NSW supporter knew a send off was coming, with Sua’ali’i’s Origin future now up in the air given he’s off to rugby in 2025.

The young gun can fight the grade 2 reckless charge at the judiciary, but he would miss five games if found guilty by the panel which would end his Origin career unless he returns to the NRL later in life.

Taking to Instagram, Sua’ali’i expressed his disappointment with his action.

“Mixed emotions,” Sua’ali’i wrote on instagram.

“Disappointed let my brothers, fam n state down. Blessed and honoured to put the blue jersey on. #311

“Onto the next.”

When confronted y media at the team hotel on Thursday morning, Sua’ali’i said he didn’t mean to injure Walsh.

“I didn’t mean it at all. I just went in there to go tackle him and I accidentally clipped his head,” he said.

“I hope he’s doing all right. I hope his family is doing well. I didn’t mean to hit him in the head.

“I haven’t reached out yet, but it’s something that I’ll do.”

The Roosters have the bye this weekend and only play four matches before the teams are picked for game three, with Blues coach Michael Maguire unlikely to pick him if he hasn’t played for more than a month.

Maguire said it was a “big call” to send the rookie centre off so early in the game, pointing to an incident earlier in the year when Walsh suffered a facial fracture following a collision with Penrith’s Taylan May.

“Earlier in the year, he ended up with a broken jaw and there was no send off, so it’s a big call at this level,” he said.

“He was falling, but I’ll have to have another look at it.

“I think it’s a massive call for a game like this.”

The Blues never recovered, with the Maroons taking advantage of the extra man to run riot down their left edge as they cruised to a 38-10 win in enemy territory.

Walsh will miss Brisbane’s next two matches under the NRL’s mandatory 11-day concussion policy but would be free to return for game two in Melbourne if Billy Slater wants to pick him.

Slater was tight-lipped when asked about the tackle, with the Blues making it clear in the opening few minutes that they were going after the electrifying fullback.

“I’ll keep my feelings about that to myself,” the Maroons coach said.

“He seems to be OK now, but he didn’t look too good on the field.

“He seems to be OK in the sheds.”

Blues forward Isaah Yeo was the only other player charged, with the Panthers skipper set to pay 7 per cent of his match fee if he takes the early guilty plea for a high tackle on Murray Taulagi.