Veteran rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield has labelled Willie Mason’s scathing Tyson Gamble sledge as “unnecessary” and “unwarranted”.
Following the Knights’ 40-10 loss to the Warriors, Mason took to Twitter and wrote: “There could not be a bigger hole that Tyson gamble wants to crawl into right now. Pick ya battles boy. You are below average”.
Mason’s public spray got here after the pair traded verbal assaults after the veteran prop stated the Knights boasted the “worst f**king spine in the league” with out Kalyn Ponga.
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Rothfield defined he thought the sledge was “a little bit out of line”, particularly contemplating the timing of the tweet.
“I think it was a bit unwarranted, Willie works with young footballers in the pathways at the Bulldogs,” Rothfield stated on the Big Sports Breakfast.
“He’s a hugely controversial figure in the game and has a very popular podcast where he speaks his mind. I thought this was a little bit unnecessary.
“To attack Gamble in the way which he did straight after a game, Gamble was disappointing. The whole Knights side was.
“I bag a lot of people in rugby league and I just thought this one was a little bit out of line.”
Knights coach Adam O’Brien additionally instructed The Daily Telegraph that his five-eighth didn’t should be slammed and was already “disappointed” after his aspect’s loss.
“The hardest thing is that these young blokes look up to ex-players,” O’Brien stated.
“I know Tyson is a competitor. Willie would love to have played in a team with Tyson. He’s tough and he competes. His teammates enjoy playing with him. They love him.
“It’s something Tyson doesn’t need. Like all the boys. he’s disappointed and flat after the loss.
“He’s been excellent for us. He’s not on a lot of money, in fact bugger all. He’s just goes out there and has a go. It wasn’t Tyson’s fault we were beaten.”
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However, league legend Laurie Daley was a shock supporter of Mason’s sledge and defined he doesn’t “see a problem” with the change.
“That’s Willie’s style, he’s upfront and honest. I don’t have a problem with it because I think we are always encouraging people to express themselves,” Daley stated.
“Then when they go past the line we are quick to be critical, but again that’s an issue for Willie and Tyson. So I’m cool with it.”
“I don’t know whether I’d say that, but that’s not my style at times. That’s Willie, he’s open, blunt and straight to the point.
“If he wants to get in to that battle with Tyson, I don’t see a problem with it. Tyson can respond if he wants to.”
“Gamble has been one of the buys of the year,” Rothfield added.
“He is never going to play for Australia, but they have a hard working spine and Ponga out the back.
“That’s what they have built incredible success over the last 12 weeks on, a lot of players just getting the job done.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
