Roosters prop Dylan Napa charged for controversial tackle on Andrew McCullough

ONLY weeks after being voted Biggest Hitter in rugby league, Dylan Napa could be rubbed out of the finals series after being charged for a controversial tackle on Andrew McCullough.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — AUGUST 25: Dylan Napa of the Roosters looks dejected as he watches on during the round 24 NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and the Brisbane Broncos at Allianz Stadium on August 25, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

SYDNEY Roosters enforcer Dylan Napa has the most feared tackling style in rugby league — yet now he must change it.

Only weeks after being voted Biggest Hitter in rugby league, Napa could be rubbed out of the finals series after being charged for a controversial tackle on Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough.

The match review committee has handed Napa a grade three dangerous contact charge, meaning that even with an early guilty plea he would miss the next three weeks of footy.

If the Roosters remain in the top four and win their qualifying final, they would ­receive a week off, meaning Napa wouldn’t be available until the grand final.

However, the Queensland Origin forward also risks four weeks on the sidelines should he fight the charge, and lose, at the NRL judiciary.

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Dylan Napa watches on as Andrew McCullough is taken from the field.

It is the second time Napa has made headlines for such a tackle this year. In May, and once again against the Broncos, the 25-year-old was sin binned after breaking the jaw of Korbin Sims.

While the Roosters No.8 avoided suspension for that tackle, NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg later weighed into the debate by suggesting Napa should have been charged for the hit.

Speaking on Channel 9’s The Footy Show yesterday, Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler agreed Napa needed to change his tackling style.

While Fittler said Napa needed to accept some blame for the McCullough hit, Johns insisted he should not be charged.

“It’s an accident, for me,” Johns said.

“He got off with a similar tackle on Korbin Sims … the match review committee said he had no case to answer, so he’s been let down by the match review committee.

“I’ve no doubt if he got suspended then he goes away, changes his technique.

“There is a flaw in his technique that if someone puts footwork late on Dylan, he just launches. He loses all sight of the target.

“But, for me, they haven’t charged him in round 11, so they can’t charge him for that.”

The match review committee disagreed with the eighth Immortal. By three weeks.

Should he now accept the ban, Napa will be sidelined until at least the third week of the playoffs.

Andrew McCullough heavily concussed following Dylan Napa’s hit.

Andrew McCullough stretchered from the field.

Napa was only recently voted the game’s most feared tackler in an NRL player poll.

He received 33 per cent of all votes, ahead of South ­Sydney star Sam Burgess (15 per cent), Penrith forward James Fisher-Harris (13) and St George Illawarra favourite Jack de Belin (11).

There was no doubting his ability to crunch on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium ­either when his tackle in the 24th minute knocked Mc­Cullough out.

Yet while McCullough was taken off on a stretcher, and took no further part in the game, he took to social media around lunchtime Sunday to confirm he would “be all right”.

McCullough also revealed that Napa had apologised “numerous times” and was a “quality guy”.

Thanks to everyone for the amazing msgs I’m slowly getting back to each and everyone of you, Dylan has apologised numerous amount of times, he’s a quality guy and I will be alright🙏👍 have a fantastic Sunday!! Exciting times ahead

— Andrew McCullough (@AndrewMac999) August 26, 2018

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