Dolphins to argue case for Kaufusi
The Dolphins will consider seeking a downgrade on Felise Kaufusi’s charge in a desperate bid to have the Maroons enforcer cleared for Origin I.
Queensland have suffered a major blow with Maroons hit man Kaufusi in danger of missing the State of Origin opener for his Suncorp brain snap on Saturday night.
Kaufusi was hit with a grade-two careless high tackle charge by the NRL’s match-review committee after being reported and sinbinned for his swinging arm on Christian Welch in the Dolphins’ 24-16 loss to the Storm.
Kaufusi, not helped by his lengthy judiciary rap sheet, faces a three or four match suspension – rubbing him out of Queensland’s Origin opener against NSW at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday week.
But should the Dolphins fight the charge and successfully seek a downgrade, Kaufusi will instead be hit with only a $3000 fine, which would clear him for Origin I in a major coup for the Maroons.
It is understood Queensland may select Kaufusi in their team on Monday pending his fate with the NRL judiciary.
Kaufusi, who missed last year’s Origin decider following the sudden death of his father overseas, just needed to get through the Storm clash unscathed to take his place in the back row alongside Broncos veteran Kurt Capewell.
But his moment of madness in just the second minute of the Storm-Dolphins showdown has left his selection hopes in disarray. Kaufusi’s former coach Craig Bellamy said the Dolphins enforcer had been on the “angry pills” since his move to Redcliffe and conceded he could miss the 2023 Origin opener.