NRL News: Matty Jones Condemns Dane Gagay’s ‘Disrespectful’ Snub, State of Origin, Queensland v NSW Game 1 Start Time

NRL icon Matty Jones took aim at how the news of Dane Gagai’s expulsion from the QLD Maroons broke.

Gagai was left out of the team despite being a major player in previous years, one of two high-profile omissions.

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Kalin Ponga was left out of the squad in favor of Broncos defender Rhys Walsh, but news that the Newcastle Knights star had not made the list did not surface until the morning the teams were announced.

For Gagai, it was a completely different story, news of his shock omission leaked a week before the team’s announcement.

Jones was unhappy that the news of Gagai’s shock departure from the team was leaked, saying that the circumstances surrounding his departure from Origin left him stunned.

“Ponga surprised me a lot, but I understood. But I was stunned that Gagai didn’t

selected,” Jones said on SEN 1170’s Morning Glory with Matty Johns.

“Can I just say what I really think is disrespectful is that about three or four days before the election, it was reported in numerous media outlets that Gagai would not be elected.

“Well, at first, I just didn’t believe it, and one of the reasons is that he is aimed upwards, regardless of his club form, in my opinion, he is always aimed upwards.

“But I just didn’t believe it, because given what he did for that jersey, no one could have leaked it.

“But someone had it. This is something that I found really disrespectful. Shocking.”

The Maroons were widely condemned for abandoning their “pick and hold” method when the team for the first game was announced on May 31.

This method was preached time and again by the legends of Queensland, and the established connections between the playing group gave them an advantage on the field.

“Well, I think they threw loyalty out the window,” Buzz Rothfield said on NRL 360.

“No Pongy since that game he played two weeks ago. One of the best individual performances of the year. I know he got hit last night.

“No Capwell, no Gagai – 22 Origins in a row. He pulled them out of so many. I’m surprised they didn’t stick more firmly.”

Brent Reid added: “I’m surprised Gagai isn’t there.”

“I understand that Pongy is not there, given the concerns about the HIA and how well Rhys Walsh is doing. But the one with Gagai surprised me.”

NSW Tackling Advisor Greg Alexander was shocked by Gagai’s absence from the team.

“Deafening. It’s amazing. Some of the players you think of when you think of Queensland over the past 7-8 years, you think of Cameron Munster, Josh Papalia and Dane Gagai,” he said.

“Dane Gagai is one of those players who just produces Queensland and does it every time.”

The NSW Blues have also made some high-profile changes to their roster as they look to bounce back from last year’s Origin loss.

Jake Trbojevic’s exit from camp gave Bulldogs forward Tevita Pangai Jr. a shocking debut at Origin.

Rabbitos strike center Campbell Graham makes a sensational exit from the Blues’ camp seconds after he was named 18th with an injury.

Last week, the NSWRL confirmed that Graham had left the team’s headquarters in Coogee, sparking a fight between the selectors.

Wests Tigers prostitute Api Coroisau won the race to become a New South Wales prostitute ahead of South Sydney’s Damien Cooke.

The first game of the State of Origin 2023 series kicks off May 31 in Adelaide.

Originally published as Matty Jones called disrespectful how Dane Gagai found out about the dismissive attitude towards Origin