NRL 2024: Softest sin bin of the year, Cameron Munster suffers injury setback, Benji Marshall’s big call | The Tackle
The word ‘soft’ shouldn’t be used in a tough league like the NRL, but there is no other way to describe the baffling decision to send Chanel Harris Tavita to the sin bin over the weekend. FATIMA KDOUH writes that and more in The Tackle.
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Fatima Kdouh reveals her likes and dislikes from round 14 of the NRL in The Tackle.
DISLIKES
SOFTEST SIN BIN OF THE YEAR
This columnist is loathed to use the word ‘soft’ and NRL in the same sentence because, frankly, there is no tougher sport than rugby league.
But there is no word other than ‘soft’ to describe the perplexing decision to sin bin Chanel Harris Tavita by referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski.
It’s arguably the softest sin bin of the year.
Harris Tavita was binned in the 61st minute for throwing the footy at Chad Townsend during a breakdown in play as players pushed and shoved momentarily. The ball landed on Townsend’s head but it wasn’t forceful or even an act of aggression. Townsend doesn’t react to the ball hitting him.
It was hardly the worst example of foul play on a football field.
Townsend was also marched for escalating after being warned prior by the referee.
Confused fans were quick to point out the fact that Dragons halfback Ben Hunt wasn’t even penalised for throwing the ball at Samuela Fainu on Friday night.
Nor was the South Sydney player that threw the footy at David Fifita’s head after he scored a try on Saturday night.
At worst, Harris Tavita’s actions warranted a penalty and even then that could easily be seen as a heavy handed decision.
HAIR PULL PUNISHMENT
The five-minute sin bin is always a hot topic in the game, especially as a mechanism to deal with foul play.
A hair pull like the one in the women’s State of Origin thriller on Thursday night would be the perfect use of a five-minute sin bin.
Queensland powerhouse Shannon Mato was penalised on the field for yanking on the hair of Blues backrower Yasmin Clydsdale.
Mato not only pulled Clydsdale’s hair, she went on with it pulling the Blues forward to the ground. Hair pulls might be a reality of women’s rugby league but there is a point where a line is crossed from it being incidental to foul play. Like in Mato’s incident, where it was obvious she had no intention of letting go of Clydsdale’s hair.
It was bad enough for the match review committee to hand Mato a one match ban with an early plea.
She will escape with a $400 fine after judiciary rules were amended in the women’s game that allow players to accept monetary penalties instead of a ban for grade one offences.
Hair pulls aren’t only seen in the women’s game.
Manly’s Nathan Brown was put on report for yanking on Jarome Luai’s hair in Sunday’s game.
Commentators were quick to note that if Luai wants to wear his hair out, then he has to accept the risk it will get pulled. Except he shouldn’t have to accept it, nor does Clydsdale.
What players should accept is the expectation that the defender won’t deliberately put the ball carrier in danger of injury.
In 2020, Isabelle Kelly, while playing for the Dragons, suffered a knee injury after Broncos forward Amber Hall used Kelly’s hair to drag her to the ground and then landed on the back of her legs.
MUNSTER MUNCHED
Star Melbourne playmaker Cameron Munster says he is in no rush to get back onto the field, potentially delaying his return from a groin injury.
Almost three weeks ago, Storm medical staff said Munster would be sidelined-long term with a view of returning around round 20.
But speaking on Fox League on Sunday, Munster said he is still around 10 weeks from taking to the field.
It takes his return date deep into the back -end of the season.
“It (being sidelined) has actually taken a lot of pressure off my body, which is ideal. But unfortunately I’ll be out for up to 10 to eight weeks,” Munster said.
“I’m doing a lot of rehab. I’m just not going to push it too much, we have a big season ahead. The boys are doing well on top of the ladder.
“I’m excited to get back into it but I don’t want to push it too hard either.”
Munster revealed ‘overload’ on his groin had caused the injury that was aggravated after he slipped in the shower during a pre-season trip to Fiji.
“I’ve ended up tearing the tendon. A lot of guys in our team, in the game, have a lot of overloading on their groin. I ended up tearing that tendon.”
It’s not the first time a star player’s return has been shrouded in mystery at Melbourne.
Storm coaching staff were very coy about Ryan Papenhuyzen’s return to play after a number of serious injuries including a broken knee cap and broken leg.
BENJI’S AXE THREAT MUST FALL ON ‘DUMBEST PLAYER IN NRL’
Discipline, or the lack of it, has been a buzzword in the Wests Tigers’ capitulation but will rookie coach Benji Marshall have the gumption to come good on his threat to punish the worst offenders?
If so, forward Alex Seyfarth should be on the chopping block.
Seyfarth went into the game as one of the most penalised Tigers in the squad and added two more indiscretions in the heavy loss to St George Illawarra on Friday.
He was seen begging referee Chris Butler not to take any further action after rag dolling Dragons playmaker Kyle Flanagan, sparking a melee, late in the first half.
He should be begging Marshall to keep him in the side named to take on the Titans this week.
“Seyfarth has been renowned the last month or so with this niggle, he’s been part of a few of them over the last couple of weeks. He needs to be better than that,” Brad Fittler noted in the Channel 9 commentary after the Flanagan incident.
Fed-up Tigers fans on social media were less forgiving.
Seyfarth pound for pound dumbest player in the NRL
— Josh Coleman (@Josh99Coleman) June 7, 2024
“Seyfarth pound for pound dumbest player in the NRL,” Josh Coleman said on X.
Seyfarth was in the thick of things a month ago when he was sin-binned for a his role in a heated exchange with Reed Mahoney, where he head butted the Canterbury hooker.
He isn’t alone, the poor discipline is across the board. Jayden Sullivan’s sin-binning was the ninth for a Tigers player this year, the most of any club in 2024.
For a side that has now slumped to nine-straight losses, the Tigers need less niggle and ill-discipline from players like Seyfarth and more respect shown for Marshall’s words.
“We find someone to get sin-binned every week. (To) give away silly penalties. We lost our head (and) unfortunately we’re in a position where we can’t do it to ourselves and we do,” Marshall said.
“I cannot talk about discipline enough. The whole week we’ve talked about discipline and it’s unacceptable. There’s no excuses.”
Seyfarth is a toiler, who will tackle anything that moves and can be the kind of player the Tigers need to get out of a winless rut that at this point has one destination – the wooden spoon.
But Marshall admitted that players like Seyfarth are not responding to his message.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster dropped Addin Fonua-Blake, one of the premier props in the NRL, for not taking part in team celebrations after beating Penrith in Magic Round.
“This doesn't meet our standards,” Webster said.
Webster refused to compromise his authority as a coach – even when the culprit was one of the side’s most important players.
It might be time for Marshall to borrow from Webster’s uncompromising approach.
‘CRAZY’ DOUBLE MOVEMENT CALL
When you watch Kyle Flanagan’s double movement no try in real time on Friday night, the St George Illawarra five-eighth actually grounded the fair and square.
Yet the bunker somehow determined that Flanagan had promoted the ball forward despite his ball carrying arm not touching the ground.
“Kyle Flanagan is on his back with a defender on his legs and upper body, no momentum is progressing at that point. He then promotes the ball to the goal line,” the bunker said.
Chris Butler sent it up as a no-try but if you play the try scoring motion at full speed, Flanagan’s body is moving the entire time despite him being on his back.
Coach Shane Flanagan called the ruling ‘crazy’ given it was made when the game was in the balance late in the first half, and with the Dragons holding on to a slim two-point lead at the time.
Had the Dragons not romped home to a 56-14 victory, the call would have been one of the most contentious to come out of round 14.
BRONCOS STALL
The Broncos came into 2024 as a genuine title contender and a top four certainty.
At the halfway point, the Broncos instead are 7th on the ladder after dropping two straight games, first to the Titans and then again to Cronulla on Saturday night.
X-factor fullback Reece Walsh (concussion) won’t be available for this week’s clash against a resurgent Rabbitohs.
General Adam Reynolds isn’t expected back until round 22.
There’s no doubt that post the Origin period, and at full strength, the Broncos make a mean opposition. But with the NRL ladder so tight, Kevin Walters’ men can ill afford to be dropping games they should be winning.
The Broncos were up 12-4 at halftime but when the Sharks tightened the screws in the second half, Brisbane seemed unwilling to get into the arm wrestle.
Without Payne Haas and Corey Jensen to start the second half, Cronulla dominated them physically, particularly through the middle.
Brisbane are a flashy team, but right now need to be the team willing to win ugly with a tough month of football waiting, including the Rabbitohs, Warriors, Panthers and Dragons.
LIKES
DON’T POKE THE BEAR
What happens when you poke the bear and that bear is Titans powerhouse David Fifita? You get sent into next week, as Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker found out on Saturday.
The pair were in an entertaining running verbal battle before Fifita made things physical, and to no one’s surprise Walker came off second best on every occasion.
First Fifita sent Walker flying, and airborne, after the South Sydney playmaker attempted to tackle the backrow behemoth.
Walker had barely hit the deck before Fifita was seen mouthing off at Walker.
The best part of the mismatched defensive battle?
Both players went at each other all game long and when they did come together during a break in play there were smiles, and no signs of agro.
It didn’t end there, Fifita than used Walker as a speed hump on his way to a try late in the second half. Again, it was all good-natured competition as both players embraced the spectacle as much as the fans did.
RED V RISING
NSW Blues winger Zac Lomax isn’t the only St George Illawarra player that is career best form under the guidance of new coach Shane Flanagan.
The likes of Moses Suli, Luciano Leilua and even Raymond Faitala Mariner are producing at close to their best form ever and were standouts in Friday’s strong 56-14 win over the Tigers.
Suli and Leilua were at their damaging best, making seven and eight tackle busts respectively.
When asked why so many of his chargers were in red hot form Flanagan’s response was simple, they’re ‘fit’.
Both Suli and Leilua have long had a battle with the bulge. In the past, Suli has been on strict meal plans and fitness regimes while Leilua has been on self imposed fast food bans.
One thing is certain, they are winning that battle under Flanagan.
Many believed Flanagan came into the Dragons job with one of the least fancied rosters in the competition.
If the premiership winning coach can keep getting the best out of each individual, the Dragons will continue to find themselves in the top eight conversation.
But the next six weeks will reveal just how well the Dragons are going. After Manly next week, Flanagan’s men the Dolphins, Roosters, Broncos, Penrith and Melbourne – in a tough run against only top eight opposition.
LATRELL FOR BLUES
If Latrell Mitchell stars against the Broncos next Friday night, one of the first phone calls NSW coach Michael Maguire should be making is to the South Sydney fullback.
The Rabbitohs’ return to the winners circle has coincided with a return to form from the superstar no.1.
Mitchell has set-up six tries in the last two weeks, including three in Saturday’ win against the Titans.
His run metres were again below 100-metre mark but that is hardly the metric to measure an x-factor player like Mitchell.
Maguire is searching for a centre after Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii accepted a four-week ban for a head high shot on Queensland fullback Reece Walsh in game one.
Maguire has other options in Matt Burton, Jesse Ramien and Bradman Best.
But with the series on the line, Maguire needs a player that can turn the result on a dime, and when it comes to big moments, in big games Mitchell is still unmatched.
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