The NRL has handed down its verdict after Blues five-eighth and serial Queensland antagoniser Jarome Luai was placed on report for a facial on Reuben Cotter in a tackle during NSW’s loss in Origin II — issuing only a $3900 fine.
Cotter, meanwhile, insisted he was not eye gouged.
The incident in the 23rd minute of the first half of Origin II at Perth Stadium saw Cotter dive on a ball on the ground after Payne Haas knocked it on and Luai wasted no time jumping on the Queensland forward.
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Replays showed Luai’s fingers rake across Cotter’s face and eyes. Referee Ashley Klein wasted no time in placing Luai on report and giving Queensland a penalty and a piggy back out of their own end.
It was later ruled by the match review committee to be grade two contrary conduct. As a result, Luai is only facing a 13 per cent loss of his match fees with the early guilty plea.
Zac Lomax, meanwhile, was also charged with grade one dangerous contact for an elbow to Trent Loiero’s face and is also only looking at seven per cent of his match fee with the early plea.
Cotter spoke out about the Luai incident post-match.
“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.”
NSW great Andrew Johns said on Nine: “It looked awful but I don’t think it’s that bad.”
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