State of Origin: Did the referee hand the Blues the game? | Today Show Australia

By TODAY

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The post-match fallout from one of the most remarkable State of Origin encounters in rugby league history continues to ignite fierce debate across Australia. In this exclusive sports segment on Today, hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo are joined by New South Wales Blues legend Paul Gallen to dissect the intense, high-stakes drama of Game 1. However, the headline story of the night remains the controversial, match-defining send-off of Maroons star fullback Kalyn Ponga. Ponga became only the seventh player in history to be marched from the field during an Origin match following a heavy shoulder charge on Blues winger Tolu Koula. While the NRL match review committee ultimately penalised Ponga with a fine rather than a suspension—allowing him to play for the Newcastle Knights this weekend—Paul Gallen delivers a brutal assessment of the game's turning point. With the series shifting to Melbourne's MCG for a highly anticipated Game 2 in front of an expected 100,000 fans, the Maroons ar

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