Esi Tonga faces two-year Queensland State of Origin ban
Esi Tonga faces two-year Queensland State of Origin ban
PARRAMATTA centre Esi Tonga faces a two-year ban from Queensland State of Origin selection following his no-show for the final training run of the Maroons' "emerging squad" camp in Brisbane at the weekend.
Esi, the younger brother of Queensland centre and Parramatta teammate Willie Tonga, failed to front for a Sunday morning run conducted by emerging squad chief Wayne Bennett.
The 13 squad members had dined at Kangaroo Point's Story Bridge Hotel on Saturday, and were told to report back to their motel at southside Nathan by a certain time that night.
Tonga was the only player not to meet the curfew and Maroons coach Mal Meninga and Queensland Rugby League chief executive Rob Moore were still in the dark about his movements yesterday.
"We must give Esi the opportunity to explain things, but I can confirm he missed the session," Moore told The Courier-Mail.
"But it's not out of the ordinary, in situations like this, for strict disciplinary measures to be taken. We take such matters very seriously, whether they occur at under-15 level or in the emerging squad.
"The conversion rate of these (emerging) players into Origin players is very high, and we demand high standards."
Moore said Meninga planned to talk to Tonga last night and until such time as the player gave his side of the story, it was premature to talk of sanctions.
But it is believed Tonga, who turns 24 on Sunday, February 5, could face up to two years in the Origin wilderness.
The Logan Brothers junior was back at training with Parramatta yesterday along with Chris Sandow, the other Eels player in the Emerging Squad.
Esi has yet to play Origin, but Meninga has made it clear the outside backs are the Maroons' biggest headache in the event of injury, with Esi on a short list should something happen to the likes of his brother Willie, or Greg Inglis and Justin Hodges.
Willie has played eight times for Queensland, including Origin I last year.
Esi has worked hard in the off-season with Parramatta and seemed in terrific shape at Saturday's emerging squad training.
He played 24 matches in four years at the Gold Coast Titans and while injury curtailed his ambitions, he conceded his form was not up to NRL standard last year when he played mainly for affiliate club Ipswich.
Claims some Queensland players had used homemade party drugs in the build-up to Origin III in 2009 were dismissed by the QRL because of lack of evidence. However Meninga reprimanded two players for breaking curfew and he remains sensitive to negative publicity surrounding the Maroons, one of Australia's great sporting brands.
The QRL is also keen to ensure emerging squad camps run smoothly, given they are conducted under the banner of the Queensland Academy of Sport.
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