Kaufusi cranks up heat
QUEENSLAND firebrand Felise Kaufusi has hit back at NSW star Angus Crichton and vowed to maintain the rage if Blues back-row rival Liam Martin attempts more grubby tactics on Sunday night.
A war of words has broken out in the lead-up to Origin II, with Crichton lashing Kaufusi, saying the Maroons backrower should have been suspended for elbowing his Roosters teammate Sam Walker a fortnight ago.
After being charged with dangerous contact, Kaufusi (pictured) was found not guilty at the NRL judiciary, clearing him for the return bout at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
But the fallout saw the Melbourne forward labelled a grub by his critics. Kaufusi has lodged seven earlyguilty pleas in his seven-year NRL career for offences such as a head slam, dangerous contact with a kicker and chickenwing and grapple tackles.
NSW forward Crichton turned up the heat on Kaufusi on the very day The CourierMail obtained exclusive images which uncovered Blues teammate Martin’s four minutes of madness in Origin I.
But Kaufusi lobbed another grenade back at the Blues, rubbishing suggestions he is a dirty player and saying he is prepared to fight fire with fire if Martin and Crichton seek retribution in Origin II.
“I play the way I play, I’m not changing,” Kaufusi said.
“I’m not a dirty player. If people think I am, I can’t change their opinions.
“One of the best parts of my game is my aggression in defence and that’s what has got me to this level.
“I bring that aggression to the Queensland team. I will keep trying to do that.
“I won’t be dirty in Origin II, but I love playing aggressively. I love playing hard and tough and that’s what I’ll be doing again this week, as long as it’s within the rules.”
Crichton gave Kaufusi an uppercut on Tuesday, telling Sydney media: “I definitely think he should’ve copped something for that (elbow on Walker). I don’t think there’s a place for that in our game. I wish I’d realised at the time, I would’ve reacted, but I just had no idea it had happened.”
But Maroons five-eighth Cameron Munster launched a passionate defence of Kaufusi, urging him not to change his ways.
“I love playing with ‘Fus’,” he said. “He brings a bit of aggression and he is a good ball runner. It wasn’t ideal what happened to Sam Walker, but if we are worrying about what Felise did, there are a lot of worse things in the game. There was no malice in it ... we go out to play a contact sport.”
As rival back-rowers, Kaufusi will invariably come face to face with Martin and Crichton in battle at Optus Stadium and says the firestorm of criticism has not affected his mindset going into Origin II.
“I’ve been absolutely smashed about what happened (elbowing Walker), but I can sleep at night,” he said.
“The best way to deal with it was to switch off all the shows and not read the papers. But it was hard when your family lives and breathes league. I had calls from my parents, they followed all the news, and I said just don‘t worry about it.
“I was getting hammered on socials, but I don’t let it get to me. I just focus on my job.
“It was unfortunate what happened to Walker, but there was no intent or malice.”