Queensland have been hit with a hefty fine after playing 30 seconds of their series-opening State of Origin win with an extra player.
The NRL has ordered Queensland Rugby League (QRL) to fork out $30,000 over the incident, in which prop Lindsay Collins entered the field before injured second-rower Tom Gilbert had exited it.
The Maroons, who were 10-0 up at the time, gained no advantage and were penalised for the extra man.
QRL has five days to respond to the breach notice if they wish to appeal.
It is not the first time this season a team has fielded an extra player, with South Sydney fined $15,000 for going 20 seconds with 14 men in their NRL round-nine win against Brisbane.
The fine is unlikely to cast a shadow over Queensland’s famous 26-18 win over NSW in Adelaide, with five-eighth Cameron Munster delivering a sparkling display in a gutsy Maroons performance.
Gilbert (dislocated shoulder) and winger Selwyn Cobbo (hip) were forced off by injury, while second-rower David Fifita and winger Murray Taulagi were concussed.
Prop Tom Flegler was sin-binned but 12-man Queensland still found a way to score two late tries to prevail.
Coach Billy Slater was proud of his men after the game but not entirely satisfied.
"We didn't play overly smart at times," he said.
When asked what he thought Slater meant by those words Munster pointed to Queensland's great start and storming finish as keys to victory.
What happened in between he was not so happy about.
"We played really good footy the first 20 or 30 minutes and then fell off the bandwagon for a while," Munster said.
"When we fell behind we decided to play footy again. We need to play our style of footy for the whole 80 and not flit in and out of the game.
"That's something I need to work on."
Munster was exceptional in the win, setting up a try for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with a pinpoint grubber and scoring the match-sealer at the end after Collins leapt high to catch a bomb.
"To be down to 12 players with seven minutes to go and still win, it just shows the fight the boys have," Munster said.
"We just need to show it in game two and three and keep working hard for each other because NSW are going to come at us.”
