NRL 2023: Hip drop confusion as similar tackles receive different penalties

Jacob Preston spent ten minute sin the sinbin but the Match Review Committee says the Bulldog has no case to answer - now some of the biggest names in the game want answers.

Hip drop montage for wrap

The NRL has defended their decision not to charge Canterbury’s Jacob Preston despite the back-rower being sin-binned for an alleged hip-drop tackle against South Sydney on Friday.

Some of rugby league’s biggest names have been left confused by the on-field hip-drop rulings with the Bulldogs back-rower now clear to play next week.

Preston’s tackle resulted in a foot injury to South Sydney winger Izaac Thompson, who is in doubt for the Rabbitohs upcoming clash against The Dolphins.

The Bulldogs had concerns of a hip drop tackle by Cameron Murray on Preston which was also cleared by the match review committee.

The MRC did not charge Preston for this tackle.

Cam Murray escaped sanction for this tackle too.

This followed three players - Jayden Okunbor, Marata Niukore and Dale Finucane – being suspended following three hip-drop tackles in round five.

After former Bulldogs captain James Graham labelled Preston’s binning “a joke”, NRL match review committee boss Luke Patten described the rookie forward’s tackle as “accidental” and did not “identify the key indicators of a hip drop tackle”.

“The match review committee believed that Preston was attempting a one-on-one steal and fell away from the ball, accidentally landing on the ankle/foot of player Thompson,” Patten said.

Preston was sin-binned by referee Gerard Sutton after intervention from bunker official Chris Butler.

Premiership-winning Panther and Shark Luke Lewis admitted he was confused by the Preston decision, while former NSW Origin star Ryan Girdler said he feared the game’s crackdown on hip drop tackles and their inconsistent policing by match officials could lead to players feigning injury to gain an advantage.

"THAT'S A JOKE!"

The Jacob Preston sin bin had Jimmy seeing red! 😳#[e-mail]/H4VKn67fNp

— Triple M NRL (@TripleM_NRL) April 7, 2023

“If Thompson doesn’t stay down, do we pick that play up at all? Or does the game move on?,” Girdler told Triple M.

“I don’t want to see every play analysed.

“Because you’ll get the players that play hard tough, who are making tackles under fatigue on the sidelines or paying $3,000 fines.

“I think over-analysing every situation is really going to affect the product.’’

Lewis dived into the debate on ABC Sport by stating: “I don’t know how he (Preston) got sin-binned.

“I don’t understand it. I can’t work out Dale Finucane’s one. I think that’s a joke.”

Roosters hardman Victor Radley gave reason as to why there was increased spotlight on hip drop tackles while conceding how fans could be confused by the Preston sin bin.

Finucane spent 10 in the bin and was banned for this tackle.

Niukore was suspended for this tackle.

“It’s from fatigue, it’s laziness when you get in those situations, “ Radley said on Triple M.

“Jason Ryles (Roosters assistant coaches) has reminded us to keep our feet and studs on the ground in different instances in the past.

“There’s definitely a focus on not doing them at our club. We don’t want to be hurting anyone or being binned or suspended.

“I understand what a hip drop is and what it looks like.

“So I can see why the Preston one isn’t black and white as the others.’’

Rabbitohs skipper Cameron Murray escaped punishment from the match review committee following a tackle on Preston in the first-half that angered Dogs officials.

Jacob Preston has been cleared of a hip drop. Picture: Getty Images

“I haven’t watched the game back so I don’t have a specific opinion on that tackle,” Murray said on ABC Sport.

“I’ll back up coach (Jason Demetriou) and what he said about how dangerous they can be and that it has to be a tackle that’s looked at.

“As fatigue builds into the game you have to be more and more aware of it.”

NRL head of football Graham Annesley defended the officials.

“The match officials had to make their decision on the field very quickly and in this case they did not give sufficient consideration to the attempted ball strip impacting the outcome of the tackle,” Annesley said.

“Although there was no charge laid in this case, there was divided opinion among many experts about the incident.

“While the opinion of the match officials in this case conflicted with the opinion of the match review committee, the NRL will continue to support strong action against offenders as and when required in the interests of player safety.”

ORIGIN BLOW AS ADDO-CARR’S INJURY FEARS CONFIRMED

Canterbury’s loss to South Sydney has been compounded by confirmation that star winger Josh Addo-Carr will be sidelined for the next six weeks.

The Test winger has been diagnosed with syndesmosis injury that has thrust his hopes of a NSW State of Origin recall in jeopardy.

Six weeks on the sideline would leave Addo-Carr with the prospect of having just one game — in round 12 — to push his case for a Blues jersey.

Addo-Carr was a controversial Origin omission from last year’s series.

The Bulldogs have lost Josh Addo-Carr to an ankle injury. Picture: Getty Images.

The NSW Origin team for game one on May 31 will be chosen at the conclusion of round 12.

Addo-Carr suffered the injury while attempting to field a kick in the first-half of the Dogs heavy loss to the Rabbitohs on Good Friday.

He needed to be chaired from the field by trainers.

There was also concern that Addo-Carr had suffered a knee injury in the same incident, however he has been cleared of any damage.

Canterbury face Parramatta next week and in some good news should have Viliame Kikau, Tevita Pangai Jr, Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Jayden Okunbor fit for selection.

Addo-Carr fell awkwardly after attempting a tackle on Izaac Thompson. Picture: NRL Imagery.

Braidon Burns captained Canterbury’s NSW Cup side on Friday while other options include Declan Casey and former Australian Rugby Sevens player Jeral Skelton. Casey and Burns scored a try for Canterbury in their 26-22 win against South Sydney.

The Rabbitohs survived a scare of their own when prop Tevita Tatola looked to have re-injured a knee in his opening carry but he stayed on the field.

Originally published as NRL 2023: Hip drop confusion as similar tackles receive different penalties