NRL aware of fan frustration over high shot stoppages as Tom Dearden expresses frustration

The NRL is aware of fan and player frustration over the high tackle crackdown which is seeing matches being brought to a standstill for incidents missed by the on-field referee.

The NRL will work to ease fan and player frustration over the high tackle crackdown which is seeing matches being brought to a standstill for incidents missed by the on-field referee.

On a mission to eradicate high tackles from the game, the NRL commissioned last week for match officials to sin bin players for any forceful contact to the head.

The policing of the rule has led to several incidents where matches are being stopped by the referee to place a player on-report for a high shot that was missed live during play and in some cases, several minutes earlier.

Cowboys co-captain Tom Dearden described the crackdown as “confusing” after 250-game Panther Isaah Yeo was placed on-report more than two minutes after he collected fullback Scott Drinkwater with a high tackle.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 04: Izack Tago of the Panthers is sent to the sin bin by referee, Peter Gough during the round five NRL match between Penrith Panthers and North Queensland Cowboys at CommBank Stadium, on April 04, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Cowboys' Reece Robson was sent to the sin bin but fined just $1,000 by the MRC.

The Cowboys failed to receive a penalty for the incident.

Last Thursday night, Raiders centre Sebastian Kris was placed on-report more than one minute after hitting Sharks winger Sam Stonestreet with a high shot.

Cronulla also failed to receive a penalty for the incident.

Adding to the frustration from fans is the fact that Panthers centre Izack Tago was sin-binned in the closing stages of the match against the Cowboys yet the NRL match review committee have failed to take action over the high shot.

Hudson Young of the Raiders was sent to the sin bin by referee Todd Smith during the round five NRL match between Canberra Raiders and Cronulla Sharks at GIO Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

Cowboys hooker Reece Robson, who was also sin-binned during the contest, has been slapped with a $1,000 fine for his high tackle on Daine Laurie, while Penrith prop Moses Leota has also been fined $1,500 for a crusher tackle on rival prop Sam McIntyre.

The NRL are aware of the frustration from fans and players over the time it is taking for the video bunker and on-field referee to take action.

Cowboys co-captain Tom Dearden spoke of the confusion following his side’s hard-fought win over the Panthers.

“The confusing part is that it just stopped for (seemingly) no reason and it’s going back a couple of tackles,” Dearden told Triple M radio.

“I know that they’re trying to look after the players and the players’ safety, so you can certainly understand that side of it. But it is confusing and if that’s going to be the ruling we’re just going to have to get used to it.”