After 16 attempts to discover a halves partnership capable of winning a live State of Origin game in Brisbane, NSW are set to head back to the drawing board for game two in Sydney.
After a superb display on his NSW Origin debut in the No.6 jumper as the Blues held on for a thrilling 12-8 win at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, Josh Reynolds is facing two games on the sidelines following his lifting tackle on Maroons winger Brent Tate.
The incident occurred in the opening stanza of the Blues’ first win in a series opener at Suncorp Stadium in 11 years when Reynolds, assisted by teammate Beau Scott, lifted and drove Tate onto his back.
Scott was hit with a grade one charge and will be free to play in game two should he plead guilty.
Reynolds was immediately slugged with a grade two charge after the game that will see him spend two matches on the sidelines with an early plea – three should he fight the sanction and lose.
His club side Canterbury have a bye this weekend so Reynolds would be unavailable for selection by NSW coach Laurie Daley if they opt to accept the charge.
Reynolds’ Bulldogs teammate Trent Hodkinson also enjoyed a stellar debut in the halfback role but could find himself lining up alongside a new five-eighth in game two at ANZ Stadium.
“I thought it was a really good tackle from what I’ve seen,” vice-captain Robbie Farah said.
“There was no hand between the leg from what I remember, he just landed on his back. There was a player over the top as well which probably tipped the momentum a bit.”
South Sydney’s John Sutton, Newcastle’s Jarrod Mullen and James Maloney from the Sydney Roosters, who played all three games last year, will be the leading candidates for the role and Tate believes Reynolds has to serve a ban.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been as scared in a rugby league match as that,” Tate said.
“I didn’t know where I was. We’re trying to stamp this sort of stuff out. “I had absolutely no control of where I was going. It gave me a big fright.”