NSW State of Origin star Isabelle Kelly hospitalised coughing up blood after throat tackle

Shocked rugby league supporters are calling for change after a player was left coughing blood and struggling to breathe while play was allowed to carry on in the first women’s State of Origin match on Thursday.

This year is the first time NRLW players play two Origin games, with the first won by Queensland 18-10 at CommBank Stadium.

With New South Wales holding a slender 6-4 lead in the shadows of halftime, Queensland winger Julia Robinson hit the ball up and appeared to strike Blues skipper Isabelle Kelly in the throat with a raised arm.

Play was allowed to resume as trainers rushed to Kelly’s assistance, the centre left clutching at her throat and gasping for air. She later coughed up blood in the sheds and needed to be hospitalised.

While Kelly was down from the incident, play was allowed to continue and Queensland scored a vital try on their way to victory in the first Origin match

Fans were furious that the incident was not penalised, but even more ropable that referee Adam Gee allowed play to continue which led to a vital Queensland try. 

‘The fact Adam Gee let play continue until after a try was scored when every man and his dog could see Kelly was really struggling was an absolute joke,’ one fan said.

‘Play should have been stopped, even if the ref missed there’s still 2 sideline officials and the bunker that should have told the ref. Disgusting lack of player safety,’ added another.

‘She has been taken to hospital. Coughing blood. The worst part is, it was so dramatic, so obvious, clear breathing issue that it’s impossible not one official saw it. Disgraceful conduct,’ posted another.

NSW coach Kylie Hilder was also left fuming over the incident, questioning why play was allowed to continue and Maroons second-rower Tazmin Gray awarded a try.

‘She’s in hospital, she’s not great. There are concerns for her,’ Hilder said.

‘I am very worried, and I still don’t understand why there wasn’t even a penalty when she was hit in the throat.

‘It is a big concern for me when we have got a player on the ground in obvious discomfort and not in a great way, and she was struggling to breathe.’

Kelly is assisted from the field by Blues officials. She would later cough up blood in the sheds and require hospitalisation

New South Wales coach Kylie Hilder was not happy that referee Adam Gee allowed play to continue when a player was obviously in distress

Hilder said halftime was distressing with players coming in while Kelly was still being treated and in obvious trouble.

‘There was a lot going on in the sheds,’ Hilder said. 

‘An ambulance came in for Izzy and it wasn’t great.

‘She was in a lot of discomfort and there was a fair bit of noise coming as well, so we had to rally the girls and just let them know that we had a half to get out there and get on with.’

Robinson insisted that the incident was accidental.

‘We’re not out there to hurt people. I love Izzy [Kelly], so obviously I felt terrible she went down … I hope she’s okay now,’ she said after the game.

Attacking players in rugby league using an arm bar has been a contentious issue in recent years and players want to see it rubbed out of both the men’s and women’s games.

Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has often been criticised for his running style that can include a raised forearm and elbow

Waerea-Hargreaves has found himself in trouble with referees plenty of times in his career, but the raised arm from attacking players remains in the game

Andrew Fifita is treated on the sideline in 2021 after suffering a laryngeal fracture in the Sharks match against the Newcastle Knights

Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has been repeatedly accused of deliberately leading with his forearm while running the ball throughout his career.

That dates back to 2014 when then-Newcastle skipper Kurt Gidley called for the NRL to crack down on that running style, saying: ‘getting hit in the throat is as bad as anything’.  

‘This is one of the things that has to be removed from the game – leading with the elbow Watch Jared Waerea-Hargreaves – does it almost every hit up It causes so many injuries,’ one fan posted after the Kelly incident.

Former Cronulla Sharks enforcer Andrew Fifita was placed in an induced coma in a Brisbane hospital intensive care unit after suffering a laryngeal fracture in a tackle in 2021. 

‘Definitely reminded me of the impact that caused Andrew Fifita’s life-threatening fractured larynx from 2-3 seasons ago. Hopefully not as serious for Kelly. Play definitely should’ve been stopped,’ another fan posted.