Former Queensland Maroons champion Cameron Smith has slammed the decision for Haumole Olakau'atu to only be suspended for two weeks after involvement in a brawl during Game 3 of the 2024 State of Origin series.
The melee - which occurred late in the first half at Suncorp Stadium of the eventual Blues' win - started with Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans and New South Wales five-eighth Jarome Luai, but quickly spilled over the sideline and into the interchange area.
In the aftermath, Queenslander Jeremiah Nanai was sin binned as third man in, while Cameron Murray was sin binned for involvement despite being on the bench.
Murray was potentially lucky not to be sent off, and hit with a two-match ban, while Olakau'atu, who was the Blues' 19th man and dressed in a suit, also copped a two-match ban for his involvement despite not playing in the game.
Calls for Olakau'atu to be referred to the judiciary were ignored, with the match review committee instead allowing him to take a two-match ban with an early guilty plea.
Speaking on SEN Radio, Smith said it was a bad look for the game, agreeing with earlier comments from fellow Queensland former forward Corey Parker.
โWhen you hear Graham Annesley talk and you hear people representing the NRL talk about the mums and dads at home and what they see and what the children are looking atโฆ I think there was an opportunity for the NRL to take a tougher stance, particularly on Olakau'atu,โ Smith said on SENQ Breakfast.
โI know he came out and said he was just sticking up for his mates but at the end of the day, you just cannot do that.
โYou're not part of the game, you're actually not a part of the match. Dressed in a suit on the sidelines and going in and putting your hands on a playerโฆ a two week suspension for that, that's just not good enough.
โThere's kids out there watching that at State of Origin going โoh well those guys playing State of Origin can do that so I'll just go and do it'.
โI guarantee that's what they do because whatever they see on TV, they try to emulate that. They try and be like their heroes on TV.โ
Olakau'atu missed last week's win over the Gold Coast Titans, and will miss next week's clash with the Sydney Roosters, before being allowed to return after a bye when Manly clash with the Canberra Raiders in Round 23.
