NRL’s ‘utter disgrace’ goes too far with Sam Verrills ban
There are fresh calls to blow up the NRL match review process after a major ban could just have derailed one of the finals sides.
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The NRL match review committee has seemingly gone one step too far for pundits as Sydney Roosters hooker Sam Verrills was rubbed out for two matches.
The Roosters have had a remarkable season to make the second week of the finals considering the club has had to go most of the season without the likes of injured stars Brett Morris, Lindsay Collins and Luke Keary, while co-captains Boyd Cordner and Jake Friend both retired during the season because of concussions.
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The Roosters finished the regular season in fifth and their sudden death match-up with Manly this weekend will be even tougher after first-choice hooker Verrills’ two-game suspension.
Verrills was charged with a grade two careless high tackle for his hit on Titans centre Brian Kelly.
The Roosters No. 9’s shoulder appeared to make contact with Kelly’s head but the smaller man appeared only to be bracing for the collision, as teammate Sitili Tupouniua hit the Gold Coast Titans centre around the legs.
Then again, Kelly broke his nose in the incident.
“He fell into the shoulder there of Verrills. There was certainly contact flush in the face,” Fox League’s Warren Smith said in commentary.
Verrills, who had yet to face a charge in his 33-game career, initially faced a week on the sidelines but by challenging the severity of the charge, opened himself up to a two-week suspension.
Verrills’ lawyer James McLeod argued that the contact from Tupouniua dropped the Kelly down “probably about 20 or 30cm”.
“ (Verrills) is entitled to set himself before the contact with Tupouniua and Kelly a split-second before,” he said.
“He doesn’t have time to adjust after the contact between Tupouniua and Kelly.”
NRL prosecutor Peter McGrath disagreed about the mitigating factors, saying: “There is very little in the way of mitigating features that would reduce the seriousness of the tackle.”
He argued that Verrills was “always aiming to make a tackle above the ball”.
The review panel sided with the NRL prosecutor and unless the Roosters make the grand final, Verrills won’t play another game this season.
NRL pundits were quick to slam the decision, particularly when comparing it to a hit from Eels prop Junior Paulo against the Knights.
The Eels enforcer will play against the Penrith Panthers on Saturday night after being fined $1600 despite a shoulder charge on Kurt Mann.
Paulo’s lenient charge was used as a defence for Verrills, but McGrath argued Eels teammate Shaun Lane knocked Mann off his running line, changing “the intended target area” for the prop.
On SEN, rugby league commentator Andrew Voss was furious, demanding the NRL judiciary process be overhauled during the off-season, labelling the Verrills ban a “joke”.
“If what Sam Verrills did really is a two-game ban offence, why would the referee not sin bin him during the game? Why would the bunker believe he shouldn’t be binned?” Voss wrote.
“The system is stuffed, it is absolutely stuffed.”
Voss also slammed the early plea discounts and the confusing loading and carry-over points system, adding: “Come post grand final, blow the whole damn system up.”
Plenty of others were also furious. NRL reporter Phil Rothfield tweeted: “The decision to suspend Sam Verrills for two weeks tonight is an utter disgrace. Worse incidents this year have resulted in fines. Verrills is a good, clean player. The NRL judiciary, match review, bunker and football department is an embarrassment.”
Journalist Cody Kaye wrote: “Sam Verrills does not deserve two weeks for that shot. Especially if Paulo is playing this weekend after accepting a fine for a very similar tackle.”
Broadcaster Mark Levy added: “If 3 former players on a judiciary panel think Sam Verrills’ tackle on Brian Kelly is grade 2 and worth 2 weeks on the sidelines, we have a MAJOR problem.
“Before you jump down my throat, I grew up supporting the Bunnies. Blow up the match review and judiciary and start again!!!”
The result will likely see Ben Marschke come into hooker, although Lachlan Lam could also move to dummy-half and pave the way for Sam Walker to start at first receiver.
In more bad news for the Roosters, Sio Siua Taukeiaho has suffered a calf injury and will miss the match against Manly.
Originally published as NRL’s ‘utter disgrace’ goes too far with Sam Verrills ban
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