The NRL judiciary immediately thought of compromise when punishing Paul Gallen’s actions in Origin 1.
Gallen’s fight was a promoter’s dream, but was considered morally wrong and a breach of player conduct.
It is an incident that has only been justified by one cliché that has been circling the rugby league world: “that’s Origin”.
Gallen was charged with a grade two striking offence, and he reluctantly accepted an early guilty plea meaning he will miss one match.
But Gallen’s disappointment goes much deeper than his unavailability for the Sharks’ clash with the Storm on Sunday.
Gallen said if his actions were deemed offensive, they shouldn’t be used to promote Origin 2.
Gallen and Myles’ stoush will be used as the showpiece to advertise Australia’s biggest spectacle this year. And that is part of the reasoning behind the judiciary’s decision.
One believes protecting their flagship event would have been a key factor of the contentiously lenient penalty.
But the NRL judiciary had to also take into account the barking of rival codes and angry mothers from the other side of the fence.
If Paul Gallen were to be sent off during the first Origin, it would have ruined the game and created massive uproar.
A sin-bin would have sufficed and the Blues would have been disadvantaged as per Gallen’s rule violation.
If Gallen escaped suspension, the game would be scrutinised for letting violence go unpunished.
The refereeing is one of many aspects that change in standard from an NRL club game to State of Origin.
Gallen defended his action by comparing his situation with Brisbane forward Josh McGuire’s king-hit on Parramatta’s Mitchell Allgood.
The Cronulla and NSW captain has had a notable track record of offences, which was slowly reducing before Wednesday night.
The severity of the charge has also come under fire, with rival codes voicing their opinions.
AFL commentators compared the sentence to their match review panel verdict and deemed Gallen’s actions would receive a 12-week ban, which would be reduced to nine weeks with an early plea.
Parents generally view rugby league as dangerous and discourage their children from playing the sport competitively at a grassroots level.
State of Origin is the spectacle that attracts infants to rugby league and it will be boosted with the skipper free to play in the blockbuster on June 26.
The fight will be built up in the media, plastered on billboards and will be the major talking point in bars across the eastern seaboard ahead of game two.
But the violence is not the advertisement for rugby league.
It is the qualities of patriotism, passion and territory that are associated with violence, that are values that define State of Origin.
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