Roosters backrower Nat Butcher is ready for a stint on the sidelines, however the Storm’s Trent Loeiro escaped a ban after the pair have been placed on report for hip drop tackles.
The NRL has cracked down on the damaging tackling methodology in current weeks, with Dale Finucane and Marata Niukore each being handed suspensions.
Butcher will be a part of them after he delivered an unsightly sort out to Sharks enforcer Briton Nikora within the 14th minute of the Roosters and Sharks’ conflict.
Watch each sport of each spherical of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
FOX LEAGUE PODCAST – LACHIE MILLER ‘COULD’VE BEEN DIGGING HOLES’
Knights fullback Lachie Miller reveals the large threat he took when he rejected a Rugby 7s contract extension to chase his NRL dream.
The 25-year-old backrower bounced off the chest of Nikora earlier than he grabbed the Cronulla gun’s hips and dropped onto the again of his legs.
Nikora grabbed at his ankle and was clearly in ache, whereas referee Grant Atkins known as Butcher out of the road and raised ten fingers.
On Saturday, Butcher was hit with a grade two harmful contact cost and a one-match suspension on an early plea, whereas he’ll face a two-game ban if he unsuccessfully challenges the ban.
Commentator Matt Russell labelled the sort out the “biggest issue” within the sport and Steve Roach highlighted how harmful it may be.
“That is a dangerous tackle there … just the way they wrap themselves under and then pull towards the tackle,” Roach stated.
Get all the most recent NRL news, highlights and evaluation delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!
Munster to play fullback towards Manly | 01:01
MORE NRL NEWS
ORIGIN SCOUT: Matty’s daring answer to Blues logjam; Slater’s Maroons bolter
DILEMMA: How $1m Panthers gamble might backfire and play proper into Gus’ fingers
TRANSFER CENTRE: Sharks lock up star fullback with multi-year extension
‘WE DONE?’: Bennett’s icy response after Bromwich’s mind fade in Bunnies loss
JUDICIARY: Souths sweat on MRC as skipper twice positioned on report; enforcer cited
BURNED: Bellamy’s cheeky dig at Munster forward of Storm star’s large swap
“It’s a divisive issue in the game and it may be the biggest issue in the game at the moment and Nat Butcher has brought it sharply into focus again here,” Russell stated.
“In the bin, which we could have forecast.”
Rugby league legend Michael Ennis was additionally requested if he believed Butcher was deserving of a sin bin and he backed the NRL’s stance.
“Given what we have seen in the last couple of weeks, Nat Butcher, unfortunately just shrugged off in the tackle,” Ennis stated.
“He ends up sliding around the back and all his weight goes onto the back of his legs, and from what we have seen from the NRL that was nothing else but a sin bin.
“I think we are going to hear a bit more about that one … that is so dangerous,” Roach stated.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson known as the incident “disappointing” as a result of Nikora was capable of play the remainder of the sport.
“It’s pretty common that guys end up in those positions,” he stated.
“But it’s disappointing, there was nothing wrong with him. He plays 70 minutes after that, so there’s no injury whatsoever.
“But the cause of what happened in that moment, ‘Butch’ gets 10. He shouldn’t end up in those positions — we know that — but if he (the referee) did every one of those we’d be having 10 a side.
“I understand the injury ones, but there was no injury.”
And it wasn‘t the only hip-drop report of the night.
In Manly, Loeiro was put on report for a hip drop tackle on Haumole Olakau’atu — though he was capable of keep on the sphere as a consequence of it being classed as “careless” and never intentional.
Sea Eagles climate Storm at Brookvale | 02:53
Panthers legend Greg Alexander argued that Loiero’s sort out was “absolutely not” a hip-drop as a result of he used his personal weight to pull Olakau‘atu down without making contact to the back of his legs.
“As a game, we know what the late shot is on the ball. We all realise what’s a penalty, what’s a sin bin,” Alexander stated on Fox League.
“I think we’re all still confused about the hip-drop.
“The moment I saw it I said, ‘That’s not a hip-drop’, and he didn’t make contact with the player’s legs.
“He used his body weight to drag Olakau‘atu backwards, but at no point did his hips or backside land on the back of the legs of Olakau’atu.
“There’s no weight on the back of the legs. He’s just dragged him down using his own weight. Surely you can make a tackle like that.”
Queensland nice Gorden Tallis continued: “I would still be playing if they couldn’t use their body weight. If they can only use their arms to stop you, it’s just an arm tackle.
“Unless the NRL comes out and clarifies, just for all of us, so we’re all on the same page.”
Alexander responded: “It would be like me coming across for a high shot on you and I miss completely. I didn’t make contact, that’s exactly what happened there … no hip-drop.
“The argument of what is and what isn’t a hip drop, we’ll keep arguing about it until we sort it out.”
On Saturday, Loiero was not even fined for the sort out, with the NRL agreeing with the interpretation of Alexander and Tallis.
BRUTAL HITS in newest Battle of Brookie! | 01:08
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
