Channel Nine hosts in State of Origin clash as Phil Gould flat-out refuses to answer question about scandalous send-off that turned the match

Things got tense on the Channel Nine broadcast following New South Wales’ win in Origin game 1.

Much of the post match conversation centred around the decision to send off Queensland’s Kalyn Ponga in the second half.

Official Ashley Klein could be heard saying to the bunker, ‘For me that’s a send off,’ followed by,  ‘I know what you’re saying but this is an illegal play’ (to the video ref)

It was a decision that delighted the home ground who sensed it as their way back into the game.

But one that not everyone agreed with, a particularly spiky response from Phil Gould in the post-match broadcast led to some very awkward scenes between the crew.

James Brayshaw asked Gould whether he thought it was a red card and whether players have a responsibility as tacklers to avoid such incidents.

That left the entire desk in a state of shock as they all sat in silence waiting for a follow-up from Gould

He then joked that he wanted Braysford to ‘keep his job’

Gould met that with silence as everyone sat around the deskin sat in a stuned slince around his lack of response.

Gould then said, ‘James I suggest you ask someone else mate, rather than me, if you don’t mind.’

And in that moment just after his response, you could hear a pin drop on set as everyone waited for some sort of meaningful follow up. 

‘I would like for you to keep your job’ he then joked

But it was clearly a situation that upset Brayshaw as he responded, ‘We are having an open discussion about an incident that happened tonight. 

Darren Lockyer was coldly angry about the Klein call on Ponga.

‘Brad and I on the sideline we could hear the thump, we could hear the noise and it looked sickening from a distance.

‘And I think Ashley Klein when he’s first seen it and heard it has made up his decision in his mind. 

‘When it went up to the bunker, the bunker was suggesting it was only 10 minutes, but Ashley Klein didn’t want a bar of it,’ Lockyer said on Nine.

Ex-NSW skipper and coach Brad Fittler had a bit of an each-way bet.

‘It hit his shoulder and ended up being a head clash,’ said Freddy, ‘but as a defender you have full responsibility.’

‘Whether you believe he should have been sent off or not he had an opportunity to slow down.’

Lockyer then added, ‘In the end Kalyn probably thinks he’s cost his team the game.

‘I think for Queensland’s perspective now, the game’s gone, we are 1-0 down and we need to dust ourselves off.’