Following a sideline brawl in the State of Origin decider, NSW's Haumole Olakau'atu and Cameron Murray received two-match bans and fines totaling up to $39,000. Additional fines were issued to other players involved in the scuffle, with Queensland's Reece Walsh escaping sanction. The incident involved ball boys and resulted in sin-bins for players like Murray and Queensland's Jeremiah Nanai. While Murray avoided being sent off, there were differing opinions on the severity of the punishment, with NSW coach defending the players' actions. The NRL's strict response aimed to address the melee that disrupted the game and involved multiple players from both teams.