NRL 2021: Storm’s Felise Kaufusi charged for hit on Ryan Matterson

League legend Greg Alexander has questioned the punishment handed out to Felise Kaufusi and labelled his hit, which knocked out Parramatta’s Ryan Matterson, as a ‘cheap shot’.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 18: Felise Kaufusi of the Storm looks on after being placed on report for a tackle on Ryan Matterson of the Eels during the round two NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Melbourne Storm at Bankwest Stadium on March 18, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The NRL’s match review committee has come under heavy fire with league legend Greg Alexander questioning the punishment handed out to Melbourne’s Felise Kaufusi’s sickening high shot on Parramatta’s Ryan Matterson.

Alexander labelled the shot that knocked Matterson out of Thursday night’s game “a cheap shot”, while saying there was “intent” and adding the Storm forward got off “light” to only be facing a two-to-three-week ban.

And while NRL head of football Graham Annesley says he “wouldn’t have been disappointed” had referee Ashley Klein sent Kaufusi to the sin bin, Alexander had the backing of former Storm champion Cooper Cronk, who called Kaufusi “very lucky”.

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Felise Kaufusi faces a three-game ban. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

It was a really ugly look at a time in the game when concussion injuries are at the forefront.

The NRL match review committee on Friday hit Kaufusi with a grade two dangerous contact charge, meaning he can escape with a two-match ban if he takes the early guilty plea.

Alexander told Fox League that Kaufusi should forget about fighting the charge next week at the judiciary.

“No, he can’t fight it. He can’t possibly fight it because there is no argument in it,” Alexander said. “He would lose if he fought that.

“And I would suggest he got off even a little bit light.

“It is not until you slow it down that you see exactly the movement of that forearm and elbow towards the head. That was a cheap shot. I would increase it to three or four weeks.”

Cronk added: “I think (Kaufusi) is very lucky that he didn’t finish with the elbow on his head … if that (the elbow) had of stayed the impact becomes even more severe and that is an even larger charge for sure.

“There is no doubt that the head is protected in today’s game and anything that happens around that, there is a lot of trouble.

Referee Ashley Klein put Felise Kaufusi on report but didn’t send him to the sin bin. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“I am with Brandy, it was pretty aggressive over the top and he is pretty lucky that the elbow didn’t stick solid to the head because we are talking six plus (weeks) if that had stayed in contact.”

Alexander added “there was intent”.

Annesley has earlier explained why Klein was acting within the laws of the game not to immediately dismiss Kaufusi to the sin bin.

But the blow up at Bankwest Stadium on Thursday night centred on why Kaufusi was allowed to play out the game while Matterson did not return after failing a HIA concussion test.

Replays clearly showed Kaufusi’s elbow connecting with Matterson’s head before he hit the ground and was knocked senseless.

It’s also the second bad concussion Matterson has suffered in eight months.

Matterson was knocked senseless last July after copping a brutal but legal elbow from Wests Tigers Russell Packer in a fiery showdown against his former club.

On that occasion Matterson was attempting to tackle Packer but the incident was not considered foul play.

Ryan Matterson has now suffered two serious head-knocks in the last eight months. Picture: Getty Images.

Matterson had a previous issue in 2018 when he was house-bound for eight weeks due to ongoing concussion symptoms. Following that he even said he would donate his brain to concussion research.

But while there was some conjecture Thursday night’s tackle should have automatically meant Kaufusi was sin binned at the very least, Annesley explained: “It is always a discretionary call between the referee and the bunker.

“They have to determine whether they think it is a matter that requires a sin bin. It is not mandatory. I wouldn’t have been disappointed had he gone to the sin bin.

“But it is not mandatory just because someone is placed on report that they go to the sin bin.”

The other concern for Matterson is that he is negotiating his future and the fact he has suffered previous concussion issues in a short space of time would understandably create some concern.

It was reported this week that Matterson’s manager has recently circulated an email asking interested clubs to come forward.

Matterson is on a reported $500,000-a-season contract at Parramatta and has an option in his favour to stay at the Eels next season.

The incident has also again raised the debate about the NRL possibly introducing an 18th man policy to help deal with concussion injuries.

Annesley said that idea wasn’t approved when it was last discussed at the start of 2020 and all rule changes have to go to the Commission.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Storm’s Felise Kaufusi charged for hit on Ryan Matterson