The NRL were sold "two totally different stories" surrounding Ronaldo Mulitlo's eligibility to play for Queensland in the State of Origin, leading to the debacle which headlined the lead-up to the Maroons' Game II loss at Suncorp Stadium.
That's the word from Nine's Danny Weidler who has revealed Queensland Rugby League and Mulitalo were asked to sign an affidavit in time for Origin II to prove the Auckland-born star was eligible, but could not produce the necessary documentation.
Mulitalo was ultimately denied the chance to make his Origin debut, forced to withdraw himself from the squad he had been rushed into to replace the injured Reece Walsh.
In the end, it all came down to a set of contracts that Mulitalo had signed throughout his junior development, with two contracts stating he did not reside in Australia before his 13th birthday, while the next three he signed did.
Origin eligibility rules state that if a player wasn't born in Queensland they can only play for the Maroons if they lived in the state before their 13th birthday.
"Ronaldo and QRL were asked whether he would sign an affidavit to say this was all true. And that was a way for him potentially to play, and they didn't do that," Weidler told Nine's 100% Footy.
"There are some discrepancies in the contracts that he lodged with the NRL. In two contracts, he said he did not reside in Queensland before the age of 13 which is considered vital, obviously. In three of the other contracts, he said he did.
"That's what the NRL have in front of them. Two totally different stories. And that's why we're in the situation we're in now.
"I'm not condemning Ronaldo, I feel very sorry for him. He had his dream taken away from him in a very unfortunate way. But that's the facts the NRL were dealing with."
The 21-year-old Cronulla flyer has previously represented Queensland in the under-16s, 18s and 20s.
The NRL's own Origin eligibility flow chart specifically states that if a player has "played Origin at u18, u20 or senior Origin" the player's "state of eligibility is confirmed".
But Mulitalo had previously told the Sydney Morning Herald that he arrived in Australia at 13 years and 10 months and had two contracts under his name stating the same, thus ruling him ineligible.
The rigmarole is enough to confuse even the most stringent of the game's administrators, and Cronulla Sharks great Paul Gallen was left fuming at the whole situation.
"This kid has been sold a dream. He's played u16s, 18s and 20s. What about how many other kids' dreams he stole (took the place of)," Gallen told Nine's 100% Footy.
"What about how many other 16-year-olds in Queensland, everyone he played in front of who no longer play anymore because they didn't make it, then all of the sudden he gets to Origin and he misses out, so whose fault is it?"
Mulitalo, now 21, reportedly moved to Queensland with his family just before turning 14, having been born in Auckland. The Maroons hoped to prove otherwise but could not do so in time for Origin II.
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