Comment: Farcical inconsistencies put blowtorch on Match Review Committee
Days after the bunker was scrutinised, the blowtorch now must be applied to the match review committee over its inconsistency with charges, writes Michael Carayannis.
NRL
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The week started with the bunker under the microscope. Now the blowtorch must be applied to the match review committee after Melbourne players Nelson Asofa-Solomona (dangerous contact) and Josh King (eye contact) escaped charges despite the judiciary getting it right on Nathan Cleary’s five-game ban.
Asofa-Solomona’s non-charge comes a day after Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was hit with a feather for purposely driving his elbow into a defenceless Zac Fulton on Thursday night.
The Roosters prop was fined $3000 for the incident on debutant Fulton while in possession. How committing an offence where Waerea-Hargreaves was in total control of his actions results in just a fine is a farce.
Asofa-Solomona’s indiscretion was not as clear cut but his forearm did make contact with Wayde Egan’s jaw – forcing the Warriors hooker from the field – when making a tackle and should have resulted in a minor charge.
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Asofa-Solomona was under the microscope for two incidents inside the opening three minutes on Friday night but won’t be banned for either.
Match review coordinator Luke Patten said: “There was clear separation between Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s arm and the head of Wayde Egan as the players went to the ground.
“Asofa-Solomona’s arm lands on Egan’s chest on a diagonal and makes incidental contact with his head/neck after the ground impact. As a result, the Match Review Committee cleared the tackle of involving either a head slam or a dangerous contact action.”
As for King – a dollar for Corey Waddell’s thoughts after the Canterbury back-rower was banned for five matches for an eye gouge last week.
King’s hands clearly came into contact with Jazz Tevaga’s eyes and should have resulted in a minor charge for that alone – even if there was no raking motion. I’m still not convinced there was a raking motion by Waddell either.
Unlike Waddell’s instance, though, where Tino Fa’asuamaleaui made an on-field complaint, Tevega did not protest.
The NRL reached out to the Warriors on Saturday but they did not make a formal complaint and felt the vision was inconclusive.
Confusion has now set in as we head into the business end of the season.
Dale Finucane is still smarting from his two-week ban for an accidental head clash which split experts’ opinion. Perhaps he would have been better off purposely leading with his elbow into a defenceless player on the ground?
Storm star avoids judiciary after grubby act
-Lance Jenkinson
A desperate Melbourne Storm has rediscovered the resilience that had eluded them in recent weeks to snap their four-game losing streak and move back into the top four.
The Storm was on the back foot for swathes of their 24-12 win over the New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium on Friday night, but found a way to win on the back of their physical defence and efficient forays into the Warriors territory.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy lauded the 80-minute effort of his players that secured a 13th consecutive win over the Warriors.
“I wasn’t quite sure how we were in front at half-time to be quite honest,” Bellamy said.
“I thought that was probably the best we’ve defended for a few weeks, you know, consistently defended.
“We looked a bit fresher, a bit more energetic and we had to be, but the Warriors just kept coming back, just kept trying.
“Our effort in defence tonight was the thing that got us over the line.”
But the victory might have come at a significant cost for the Storm with forwards Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Josh King placed on report.
Fullback Nick Meaney’s health is a concern, too, after landing awkwardly following a collision with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, which had the Warrior put on report for a dangerous tackle in the air.
Meaney’s shoulder injury initially looked serious as his arm was immediately placed in a sling, but there might be some hope for a more positive diagnosis.
“He’s still got the sling on, so obviously there is a problem there,” Bellamy said.
“Just how bad it is, I’m not quite sure, but it’s better than what they [the club physios] thought originally.”
The Storm tried to batter the Warriors into submission in the first half, but arguably went overboard with their aggression.
Asofa-Solomona was keen to set the tone, but he took it a step too far and found himself reported for a forearm in the face of Warriors hooker Wayde Egan.
Egan got up clutching his jaw and had to go off for a head injury assessment.
After a succession of Storm penalties, forward Josh King was then placed on report for clawing the eyes of Warriors lock Jazz Tevaga at the end of a tackle.
King, a revelation since crossing from the Newcastle Knights in the off-season, was then placed on report for clawing the eyes of Warriors lock Jazz Tevaga at the end of a tackle.
Bellamy was not getting drawn into any potential sanctions on Asofa-Solomona and King.
“I didn’t think there was a whole heap in them but that is someone else’s decision, not mine,” he said.
While the Storm was focused on the physical aspects of the game, the Warriors showed their creative side.
Shaun Johnson was superb at half back with his kicking game a sight to behold and his fleet feet hard to catch.
Forward Tohu Harris carried the ball with purpose against his old side and young fullback Reece Walsh showed why the Storm tried their best to secure a loan move for him as a replacement for the injured Ryan Papenhuyzen.
For all of the Warriors excitement, it was the Storm who led at half-time 10-8, through tries to Justin Olam and Harry Grant.
Olam took advantage of some flimsy defending from Warriors’ Adam Pompey and Johnson, while Grant led the build up play that had the Warriors backtracking for his own try.
KOSI THE TRICKSTER
Warriors winger Edward Kosi scored all eight Warriors first half points with Johnson failing to convert on two sideline attempts.
The powerful Kosi was far too good for the inexperienced Storm right side defence.
Kosi made it a hat-trick of tries in the second half to cap a superb individual performance.
STORM WARNING
The Storm made the perfect start to the second half, scoring a try through Jahrome Hughes.
The blistering start came on the back of some brilliant Munster build up play.
Freddy Lussick, who took over the dummy half role after Egan shuffled to five-eighth for the injured Harris-Tevita, went off for a HIA and suddenly the Warriors were getting short on troops.
After repelling a number of Warriors attacks, the Storm extended their lead through a Meaney after a well-weighted kick at full tilt from young winger Grant Anderson, which would be the knockout blow.
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