Queensland forward Reuben Cotter was left with a huge lump above his left eye – but it had nothing to do with the alleged face-rake he received from Jarome Luai on Wednesday night.
“It was a tackle in the second half involving Liam Martin,” Cotter said. “I was in the washing machine and sticking my head everywhere.
“Marto is a physical player, he’s a great player – one of the best backrowers in our game – and it’s always a challenge.”
Luai was placed on report and later charged for contrary conduct after placing his hand all over Cotter’s face. Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga tried to argue with referee Ashley Klein that it was an eye gouge.
“I don’t think it was an eye gouge, I thought he just flopped on me with an elbow, and threw a shoulder in there,” Cotter said. “I didn’t feel a gouge. Someone gave me an elbow or shoulder to the head.”
Luai, who was charged with contrary conduct – and docked 13 per cent of his $30,000 match fee – said of the Cotter incident: “I was a bit fed up, I think he [Cotter] elbowed me, similar to what Zac Lomax did [to Trent Loiero].
Reuben Cotter was left with a nasty bump above his left eyeCredit: Christian Nicolussi
“It sums up our night, we didn’t get the 50-50 calls, Lomax does the same thing, and he gets done for it. I felt an elbow, so I reacted to that. I wasn’t going for his eyes or anything like that. It was more a scuffle.”
The physicality in Perth ramped up a few notches from game one at Suncorp Stadium – and Martin was in the thick of it midway through the first half.
He flattened Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, let him know about it afterwards, only for Fa’asuamaleaui to return serve a minute later when Martin was hit hard in a tackle by Val Holmes.
“It was definitely more physical and had a bit more spice, and we knew they’d be more physical after that first game,” Martin said.
Liam Martin gets into Tino Fa’asuamaleauiCredit: NRL Photos
“We just shot ourselves the first half with our discipline. We had a good match-up [with Fa’asuamaleaui]. He plays such a key role for them. I wanted to go after him physically. I tried my best.
“We shook hands after the game, we had a laugh and he said, ‘You got me’. You also have to take as good as you give, and I did not long afterwards [following the Holmes’ tackle].”
Martin and new Queensland skipper Cam Munster have had countless clashes over the years, in clubland and on the State of Origin arena, but he said “me and Munny didn’t have any run-ins tonight”.
“He played well, and I didn’t do my job there to try and match him and put any pressure on him – it’s something I need to work on for the next game in Sydney,” Martin added.
Even Sydney Roosters teammates Lindsay Collins and Spencer Leniu launched into each other, with Leniu flattening Collins from the kick-off.
“It’s Origin, it’s mate versus mate, and you can never think about who is on the other side,” Collins said of the Leniu hit.
“You just have to think about your best carry. I didn’t mean to run into him. I just felt him shooting out at me, so I squared him up. There was a bit of banter, but nothing too much.”
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