Luai fined, but cleared of eye-gouge claim

Scott Bailey | June 18, 2025

Jarome Luai has been cleared of an eye gouge, but will still face a fine of close to $4000 from the NRL for rubbing Reuben Cotter’s face in State of Origin II.

Luai’s Origin return threatened to be overshadowed by the incident on Wednesday night, after his hand rubbed across Cotter’s upper face in NSW’s 26-24 loss.

Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga then made a raking action to sideline officials, before Luai was placed on report by referee Ashley Klein at Optus Stadium in Perth.

Luai was hit with a grade-two contrary conduct charge, which AAP understands was for unnecessary contact with an opponent’s face.

That would ordinarily result in a ban, but due to rules for Origin and finals matches Luai can accept a fine of $3900.

NSW coach Laurie Daley defended the incident after the match, following the Blues’ failed comeback from 26-6 down. 

“I thought it was just a facial,” Daley said. 

“We saw a fair few of them in game one too.”

Luai had an unhappy opening 40 minutes after being called back into the NSW team for the injured Mitch Moses, putting his first kick out on the full.

But like most of the Blues, he was far better in the second, helping lay on three tries for NSW.

NSW winger Zac Lomax is also facing a fine of $2100, after elbowing Trent Loiero in the face as he got up to play-the-ball.

The incidents summed up the first 40 minutes of the game for NSW, who conceded eight penalties before the break and didn’t receive one.

The count ended 10-2, in a dramatic reversal from the series opener when NSW won both the penalty count and match.

Asked about the count, NSW coach Laurie Daley momentarily remained silent before eventually responding: “I can’t tell you what I really think”.

Blues captain Isaah Yeo conceded the fault still laid with his own team.

“There were certainly a few we were shooting ourselves with and they’re just penalties,” Yeo said.

“Some others were 50-50s. Some nights you get them and some nights you don’t.

“But what you can’t do is just go drop the ball in the next set when you’ve got the ball.

“You would obviously like that to be a bit more even, but we were our own worst enemies at time.”