The NRL's head of football has confirmed the game has no issue with referee Ashley Klein sending Kalyn Ponga from the field with 23 minutes to go in the State of Origin opener on Wednesday evening.

Ponga, who was sent for a dangerous shoulder charge that was ruled to have made high contact on Tolutau Koula who was wuiped out of the game, and will now miss the next fortnight with a concussion.

Ponga being sent off changed the game for the Maroons, who coughed up a 14-point lead during the closing stages, with a James Tedesco aerial effort sealing the deal for the Blues in the dying minutes.

Despite the secnd off, Ponga was only hit with a Grade 2 charge by the NRL's match review committee, and under Origin suspension rules, will not miss any games for either the Knights or Queensland, instead being fined 23 per cent of his match fee.

Despite the MRC's verdict, typically not a charge associated with the harsh send off offence, the NRL's head of football, speaking to News Corp, made no apologies for the send off decision and supported Klein's call.

“The NRL supports Ashley Klein's decision to send off Kalyn Ponga during State of Origin one,” Annesley said.

“This incident involved clear and forceful shoulder-to-head and head-to-head contact with no mitigating factors.

“Player safety is extremely important and the game will make no apology for taking strong action on foul play.

“The communication between the on-field referee and the Bunker official allowed for multiple views of the incident, live and on replay.

“Confirmation of direct, forceful shoulder-to-head contact through a shoulder charge action meant the referee decided the correct course of action was to dismiss the player.”

The NRL also supported Klein's move to overrule Chris Butler and send Ponga from the field, rather than simply issuing a sin bin as seemed to be the view of Butler.

Annesley cited the laws of the game as the reason Klein could make the call.

“Unlike general play decisions involving the Bunker which deal with matters of fact, foul play decisions require the exercise of judgement to determine the appropriate penalty once the offence has been confirmed by the bunker. This always remains a decision for the match referee under the laws of the game," he said.