Former top referees tell Jarome Luai to get a haircut amid NRL hair-pulling controversy

Unless Jarome Luai is willing to get a haircut, he’s been warned that getting his hair pulled by opposition players genuinely attempting tackles should be “his problem”.

NRL haircuts are in the spotlight.

Former leading referees have told Penrith star Jarome Luai to get a haircut ahead of Thursday night’s NRL blockbuster against South Sydney, claiming any further hair-pulling drama in a match should be “his problem” and “fair game.”

But Luai has no plans to chop his locks, posting an image of himself on Instagram on Wednesday with the caption “LET IT FLOW’’.

Newcastle forward Tyson Frizell was controversially penalised for accidentally pulling Luai’s hair when trying to tackle the Panthers five-eighth last weekend.

“There’s an answer – get a haircut. If a bloke is going for the jersey and a bloke has long hair down past his collar, then bad luck,” said Bill Harrigan, who refereed 393 NRL games and had his own impressive head of hair during his career.

Former whistleblowe Steve Lyons agreed, declaring: “Get a haircut. If your hair is out and down past your jumper, it’s going to get pulled. It’s pretty simple. Accidents happen.”

Tyson Frizell grabs Jarome Luai by the jumper — and his hair.

And the great Greg Hartley, who controlled 174 first grade games, added: “His hair was that long that it was hanging down over his jumper. I would have let it go. Play on.”

Their comments are at odds with the NRL, whose football boss Graham Annesley argued that “it would be ridiculous for us to say if you’ve got long hair you’ve got to expect it to be pulled at some point.”

Luai’s locks will again be flowing when he’s trying to evade Souths defenders at Accor Stadium, but Harrigan was adamant a player shouldn’t be penalised for incidental contact.

“If you don’t want a haircut, you’ve got other options — put your hair into a ponytail, a bun or stick on some headgear,” Harrigan said.

“It is in the rules that you can grab a bloke by the collar or the scruff of his jersey near his shoulder and rip him back. Well, if your hair is in the way, that’s your problem. Play on.

“An intentional grab of the hair would be a different ball game.

“As a referee, you can tell whether it’s intentional or whether the bloke was going for the shirt.”

Lyons, who adjudicated 164 NRL matches, called for referees to use common sense and that a hair pull shouldn’t automatically be a penalty.

Luai lets the locks flow.

Jarome Luai on Instagram.

“If you want your hair out, whether it be a ponytail or just flowing like (Luai) does, it is going to get in the way,” Lyons said. “The player needs to know the consequences and not complain. You know long hair could get pulled accidentally, 100 per cent.

“If a player is running away from you then you’re entitled to reach out and grab what you can. It becomes part of your jumper.

“You know what a deliberate act is and you know what an accident is. There has to be some common sense.”

Sydney Roosters halfback Sam Walker went unpunished last weekend when he appeared to grab Cronulla’s Siosifa Talakai hair in a tackle to bring down the giant Sharks centre.

There’s a list as long as Luai’s hair of players with generous locks, at risk of being pulled.

The likes of the Gold Coast’s Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, St George Illawarra’s Moses Suli, Canberra’s Josh Papali’i, Brisbane’s Marty Taupau, Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes, Manly’s Aaron Woods, Melbourne’s Ryan Papenhuyzen, even North Queensland’s mullet man Reuben Cotter.

NRL haircuts are in the spotlight.

“I don’t think (Frizell) pulled (Luai’s) hair deliberately. It was a complete accident,” said Hartley, who officiated at a time the likes of Balmain’s mane man, Kerry Hemsley, was playing.

“You’ve got to use your common sense and have a feel for the game.

“I just think the refs are shit scared of being dropped if they don’t do what they’re told to do. But you can’t tell young people these days how to wear their hair.”

“I had a couple of these (moments) a long time ago with a fellow called Kerry Hemsley (a former Balmain prop). A champion bloke.

“He had long hair and a couple of blokes did that to him but it didn’t worry him. I deemed his hair to be long and it got caught up with his jumper.”

Hartley made a point of naming Grant Atkins as the NRL’s premier referee.