NRLW Tackle: Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala punch doesn’t belong in women’s game, Kennedy Cherrington doubles down on defence of sister Rueben
With women’s sport booming across the country, the NRLW needs to be better than throwing punches. It’s a disgraceful act that doesn’t belong anywhere near the women’s game, writes PAMELA WHALEY.
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Pamela Whaley reveals her likes and dislikes from round one of the NRLW season.
DISLIKES
BAN THE BIFF
The NRLW needs to be better than throwing punches.
It’s a disgraceful act that doesn’t belong anywhere near the women’s game.
Brisbane forward Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala has copped a two-match ban for striking Eels lock Kennedy Cherrington, but she’s lucky it’s not more.
In total she will miss four games with an early guilty plea, or half of the season, given her two-match suspension for a hip drop too.
But the penalties need to be harsh on striking, because it’s not hyperbolic to say the future of the women’s game depends on it.
The NRLW is not yet professional and it needs broadcast dollars that come from new fans and eyeballs on the game.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said as much this week.
And the reality is no one wants to tune in and see that kind of shocking behaviour.
There is no place for it.
For the most part, NRLW players acknowledge they are role models with a huge responsibility to inspire the next generation to play rugby league.
As women’s sport rises across the country, the opportunities are endless for little girls and their parents to pick where to pay their registration fees and where to aim their devotion.
Why would they pick rugby league?
The NRLW and its players can’t afford to allow this to seep into the game and senior players like Nu’uausala should know better.
HIP DROP OFF
While we’re talking about Nu’uausala, her two-match suspension for a hip drop tackle should also serve as a warning for the rest of the competition in round one.
Last season was rife with the dangerous tackle which caused a number of serious injuries sidelining players throughout the year.
Numbers from the NRL show there were 64 tackles reviewed as potential hip drops last year, 15 charges, five considered as concerning acts and 44 warranted no further action.
The NRL are desperate to keep the dangerous tackle out, and need to be tough on enforcing punishments.
Never mind that squad sizes aren’t big enough yet to cope with a big injury crisis, we want the best players to stay on the field for as long as possible.
Last year the NRL sent videos to each club explaining hip drops, how they happen and how to avoid them.
But now that players have had another season to alter and perfect their tackling techniques we need to see less in 2024.
SORRY NOT SORRY
Blood is thicker than water.
Parramatta forward Kennedy Cherrington is doubling down on the staunch defence of her little sister Rueben on Saturday for which she copped a punch in the face for her trouble.
Cherrington was on the end of a disgraceful hit from Broncos forward Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala after running in and aggravating a melee when Rueben was pulled down in what looked to be a hip drop tackle.
Nu’uausala reacted horribly to Cherrington’s push, punching the Eels lock in the face, while another Broncos teammate dragged her backwards by her ponytail.
As for Cherrington, the Jillaroos star captioned an Instagram photo of herself and Rueben, a No. 9 for the Eels, with “No ifs or buts. I got you like you got me”.
She also posted a video of herself dancing on TikTok with a message “whanau first”, showing just where her mind is at after Saturday’s fracas.
It evokes shades of Cameron Murray running from the NSW bench to defend Jarome Luai and Brian To’o against a heaving Queensland pack in Origin III.
It’s far from the right thing to do by the letter of the law, but it’s easy to understand.
LIKES
GREEN DRAGONS
The Dragons had a tough start to the season with an 18-10 loss to the Titans on Sunday, but there are green shoots in Jamie Soward’s side.
Three young guns made their NRLW debut on Sunday, including Kasey Reh, who should have a long future in the game if she wants it.
The niece of Glenn and Brett Stewart, Reh has had a ripping season after leading the Illawarra Steelers to the Tarsha Gale Cup premiership, as well as captaining and winning player of the match in the NSW under-19s win over Queensland last month.
She is so good she needs to be on the field, with Soward moving her from her preferred position as halfback to dummy-half.
She held her own against a star-studded Titans pack and will only get better as the season goes on.
Same for the other two debutants Bronte Wilson and Leio Fotu-Moala.
Wilson, who turned 18 just four days ago, was granted an age exemption to play and looks every bit a player of the future.
GOLDEN BROWN
Lauren Brown was the hero for Queensland in their State of Origin series win and she’s taken the form right back into club land.
The Titans halfback put on a masterclass against the Dragons on Sunday, with two forced drop outs, two try-assists, two linebreak assists and four tackle-breaks for a dangerous start to the season.
She nailed just one conversion from four in blustery conditions in Wollongong, but no one is perfect.
As it stands she’s the form player of the competition.
RAIDERS ON FIRE
After finishing fifth last year, the Raiders were always going to be gunning for more in 2024.
They started their season with a bang on Sunday, putting the cleaners through Wests Tigers in Campbelltown with a 32-12 win.
After missing the NSW Origin side with injury, Simaima Taufa was back to her devastating best with a try and game-topping 163 running metres and 32 tackles, as well as four tacklebreaks and a line-break.
EELS SURGENCE
With Canterbury set to enter the NRLW next season, Parramatta want to be known as the best women’s team in Western Sydney and as of round one they are.
Under new coach Steve Georgallis they’ve had a rapid turnaround this season, looking fitter and more organised than they did in 2023 when they finished with the wooden spoon.
Halfback Rachael Pearson and prop Elsie Albert were missing for most of 2023, but the pair showed just how influential they can be with a shock 22-10 win over Brisbane on Saturday.
Their presence helped unlock some rising talent at the club, including five-eighth Cassey Tohi-Hiku who is a star in the making.
Originally published as NRLW Tackle: Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala punch doesn’t belong in women’s game, Kennedy Cherrington doubles down on defence of sister Rueben
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