Bulldogs boss Phil Gould fumes over ‘toxic’ NRL problem

Phil Gould has been left seething after an issue that “has become chronic in our game” reared its ugly head on Saturday night.

Rapana cops a knee to the head

Phil Gould has added to the furious backlash surrounding the decision to penalise Broncos forward Martin Taupau over his accidental but sickening blow to the head of Canberra winger Jordan Rapana on Saturday night.

The Brisbane enforcer left Rapana needing to be stretchered from the field and requiring 18 stitches after his knee collected his opponent’s head late in Canberra’s tough 20-14 win at Suncorp Stadium.

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While most NRL fans and experts were fuming that Taupau was penalised for the accidental contact, Gould was seething over what he saw as another example of referees trying their best to award a penalty every time a player gets injured.

“This has become chronic in our game, it’s actually become toxic in our game, that every time someone gets hurt, someone’s got to get blamed and punished for it,” Gould told Nine’s 100% Footy.

“This is professional football, it’s going to happen, we all understand it. There will be collisions and there will be moments in the game where people will get hurt. Get over it.

“We encourage so much that’s wrong for our game, that shades our game in a bad light.

“This game was about building character and about strong men playing the game. We want this game now to be played by gentlemen and gentle men.

“And that’s not rugby league.”

Phil Gould was seething over the penalty. Picture: NRL Photos

Fellow panellist, NRL great Paul Gallen, argued that not only should the incident not have been a penalty, the Broncos should have been awarded a try given Kurt Capewell collected the ball and planted it over the try line after it was dropped by Rapana in the dying stages of Canberra’s victory.

“Why shouldn’t it have been a try… (Rapana) made an error - he dropped the ball,” Gallen said.

“(Capewell) picked it up and scored, I thought ‘they’re going to win this.”

The controversial incident and the resultant nasty injury to Rapana overshadowed a famous win for the Raiders, who pulled off a monumental upset again the NRL’s ladder leaders at Suncorp Stadium.

The NRL Match Review Committee announced on Sunday Taupau will not face any charges from the incident, which left Rapana needing to be stretchered from the field.

The game was stopped for approximately five minutes with just under four minutes to go after the Raiders winger had blood pouring from his head.

Jordan Rapana copped a nasty head injury. Picture: NRL Photos

Rapana cops a knee to the head

Rapana caught a bomb, dropping to the ground, only to find the knee of a charging Marty Taupau as the Broncos prop tried to put pressure on the kick.

The aftermath was Rapana and his jersey covered in blood as it leaked from a gash on his head.

But while the rugby league world almost universally believed it was an accident, the bunker and referee Grant Atkins awarded a penalty to the Raiders. Taupau was also placed on report.

Atkins said while his hands were in the air, it was a “careless act” similar to when a player was going for a try and was down low.

The majority of the Fox League commentary panel said Taupau had been hard done by — especially since the penalty cost the Broncos good field position and any chance they had of equalling the scores in the final few minutes of the Raiders’ 20-14 win.

The reaction from commentators around the game on social media was even more scathing of the penalty.

Former NRL referee Tim Mander posted on Twitter: “That is a joke of a penalty. It was incidental. You can’t penalise a player for clipping a bloke with his knee

“There is not always an indiscretion when there is a bad injury. That tackle wasn’t even careless. Rugby League is a collision sport. Sometimes there are injuries and no one is at fault.”

Martin Taupau couldn’t believe the penalty. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Mander also said it was “rubbish” when Fox League commentator Warren Smith took to Twitter to defend the referees by saying Taupau had a “duty of care” to avoid any dangerous contact.

Former NRL prop forward Martin Lang was also appalled that a penalty had been given.

“It’s an awkward game. I’m not sure what other option Taupau had aside from not getting out of his car when he arrived at the ground,” he posted on Twitter.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart also defended Taupau after the game and said he hoped that Taupau would not face any judiciary action.

“It was an accident. I feel sorry for Marty Taupau. He didn’t mean to do that,” Stuart said. “He came in (to the dressing-room) looking for Jordy, which was really nice of him.

“It was an unfortunate collision. Those accidents happen in these games. I hope he’s not suspended.”

Taupau spoke on radio in an on-field interview after the game and said he was “baffled” by the ruling.

“There definitely wasn’t any malice in that,” Taupau told ABC Sport.

“Obviously, in a contact sport you’re trying to do your very best to stay within the rules.

“I feel pretty saddened obviously with the injury he’s gotten out of that, but … in that instance, what do I do?

“Obviously there’s every intention of me trying to make a legal tackle … it was an accident, but yeah, what do you do? That’s the question.”

When informed of the explanation given by the bunker as the penalty was awarded, Taupau responded: “That’s pretty ridiculous”.

Martin’s wife Michelle Taupau also wrote on Twitter: “What a joke”.

Originally published as Bulldogs boss Phil Gould fumes over ‘toxic’ NRL problem