Blues rally around Togatuki after loss of sister
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Blues players rallied around prop Sarah Togatuki after she played Origin III at McDonald Jones Stadium in honour of the memory of her sister.
Togatuki lost her sister Jean on Saturday following a short stay in hospital but wanted to play in her honour.
“A lot of us were saying we wouldn't have been able to do what she's done this week,” NSW captain Isabelle Kelly said.
“She was a huge inspiration for us leading into this game. I just know she would've done her family so proud.
“She has done all of us so proud with the strength that she had, and I feel honoured and lucky to be able to pull on a jersey alongside her.
“She's just an infectious type of person. She wasn’t in camp with us for a bit and we really missed her and missed her presence. She puts everyone before herself and she is just really inspiring.”
NSW coach John Strange said Togatuki had the support of her family to play, and the Blues wore black armbands in honour of Jean.
Togatuki was emotional at fulltime as she visited her family in the stands at fulltime.
“It was really important that she spent time with her family, but it was also really important to her and her family that she came out and represented them tonight,” Strange said.
“To show that strength and character to do that is a real testament to who she is as a person. I don't know if anyone else could've done that, I don't know if I could have, after losing her sister on Saturday.
“It was just great to get her out there and represent her sister and her family. We're all really proud of her for doing what she did today. She is an outstanding player and an even better person."
The Jillaroos prop suffered a head knock late in the game that ended her 14-minute second half stint as the Blues tried to hang on before going down 18-14.
“It was unfortunate for her that she copped that knock and had to come from the field, but she was good after the game,” Strange said.
Interchange forward Kennedy Cherrington also failed to finish the match after suffering a knee injury and was on crutches at the post-match presentation where the Blues were presented the State of Origin Shield after their first series win.
Post-Match Ceremony and Trophy Presentation
Despite falling short in their bid to complete a 3-0 cleansweep, Strange told the players to be proud of their achievement.
"I am disappointed for the girls not to get that result, but Queensland came with the desperation of a side that didn't want to go 3-0 down," he said. "We were a little bit off, but I am still really proud.
"I said to the girls on the field, because they were a bit upset because they lost that game, which is understandable, just to let them know that the goal at the start of the series was to win the Shield, and to be really positive about that."
