NRL trials 2022: James Tamou suspended for one game for Sam Walker challenge
NRL360 host Braith Anasta believes the light punishments handed to James Tamou and Lindsay Collins for their dangerous tackles have left fans ‘confused’ heading into the season.
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Fans are “confused” after James Tamou and Lindsay Collins were whacked with light punishments just a week after St George Illawarra’s Tyrell Fuimaono was sidelined for five matches.
Tamou will miss just the Tigers’ opening round clash against Melbourne despite a mid-air tackle gone wrong on Sam Walker, which was described as “dangerous and ugly” by Fox League’s Michael Ennis.
Tamou was hit with a grade-two dangerous tackle while Collins escaped severe punishment for a cannonball tackle on Tigers five-eighth Jackson Hastings.
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Fuimaono, whose points loading added to his stint on the sidelines, was charged with a grade three offence for his tackle on Haze Dunster which left the Eels winger needing multiple operations.
Hastings and Walker were uninjured as a result of the incidents which the NRL take into account when laying chargers.
New NRL 360 host Braith Anasta was flabbergasted by the light punishment the duo received.
“Last week they over did it with some really tough calls for minor incidents now this week it’s totally the opposite,” Anasta said. “Everyone is confused. Tamou and Collins are very lucky with what they were charged with by the match review committee.
“Both incidents weren’t very good at all. I thought they both should have spent some extended time on the sidelines.
“I was shocked to see that Tamou stayed on the field given some of the soft sin-bins we saw in matches last week. I was even more surprised by his charge on Saturday.
“Lindsay’s tackle was very, very dangerous. They have to cut it out of the game. We have to protect the players.”
Collins will only have to pay a $750 fine with an early plea after his grade-one charge. It was Collins’ first game back from rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Tamou, who clutched at his shoulder after the tackle, said enthusiasm got the better of him. It is expected he will plead guilty as he risks a two-game ban if he fights the charge and losses.
“Straight away (I regretted it),” Tamou said. “I was too keen. Too much energy to start the game. It’s just a trial match but we wanted to start the season in the best way we can. A young kid like that, I meant no malice to it.
“(I don’t want to miss) a game especially after such a positive win like that. Yes, the Roosters had a few players out. We’re building.
“I got a bit of a stinger. I don’t know if it was his knee. I don’t know why I went so low. I must’ve been diving into the ground. I don’t know if I made contact with his hip, knee, kicking boot.
“Going into this week, everyone was ready to go which was good to see going into round one. We can’t have this ‘we have a loss to get fired up’.”
Walker landed awkwardly on his head but eventually the young half helped Tamou to his feet during the Tigers 16-8 win against the Roosters.
The Tigers were sweating on scan results from hooker Jacob Liddle (knee).
Meanwhile, the news was positive for the Sea Eagles, who are hopeful Marty Taupau (back) and Dylan Walker (leg) will be fit to play the Panthers in round one.
Taupau was confident he would be in no doubt to play despite lasting just 90 seconds during Manly’s 18-16 loss to Canberra.
The Sea Eagles are expected to be without their two starting second-rowers for the season opener. Haumole Olakauatu (dislocated elbow) is expected to join Josh Schuster (ankle) on the sidelines after picking up an injury on Friday night.
MANU GETS GAME TIME AT SIX
Joey Manu has returned from the fractured cheekbone inflicted by Latrell Mitchell late last season, at five-eighth, with coach Trent Robinson hinting that may be his starting position come round one.
The renowned centre partnered Walker in the halves with Luke Keary in a race against time to beat a foot fracture, not the ACL that kept him on the sidelines for much of last year.
“He’s been training quite well and it’s time for him to play,” Robinson said on Friday night. “We’ve talked about six, he’s obviously played a lot of fullback.”
“He wants to get his hands on the ball more and we want that as well, so if that’s going to happen, we need to offer him the opportunity to play six tonight.”
Manu said it was good to get the “cobwebs out” but said “he’s happy to play anywhere” post-match.
RAIDERS 18 def SEA EAGLES 16
Injuries put Sea Eagles on back foot
By Fatima Kdouh
Manly’s round-one preparations have been thrown into disarray after the Sea Eagles lost three players to injury in Friday night’s 18-16 loss to Canberra on the NSW Central Coast.
Veteran forward Martin Taupau sent a huge scare through the Manly camp early in the trial match, collapsing to the ground wincing in pain after just 90 seconds.
In a sigh of relief for Manly fans, Taupau was able to get to his feet and walk off the ground unaided. The early diagnosis is a ‘jarred his back’.
Taupau has less than two weeks to prove his fitness for round one’s blockbuster against the Premiers Panthers at Bluebet Stadium on Thursday March 10.
Manly coach Des Hasler turned to Toafofoa Sipley to replace Taupau from his extended bench.
Fellow big man Haumole Olakau’atu was then taken from the field in the 49th minute with what was later confirmed as a partial dislocation to the elbow.
It only got worse for Manly, 10 minutes later utility Dylan Walker then dropped to the turf clutching his left leg and then hobbled off with an ankle injury.
Hasler confirmed Olakau’atu is in doubt for the Penrith clash.
“The main one is probably Haumole, it’s his elbow, which he has a subluxation,” Hasleer said. “Walks [Walker] will be OK, it was just his ankle. Marty is a strained back. We took him off for precaution. We could have played on.”
With edge forward Josh Schuster to miss the first six weeks with an ankle injury, Karl Lawton is the man most likely to start for Olakau’atu in the backrow.
Lawton is also an option at No.14.
SPEEDY SEA EAGLES
Jason Saab’s speed helped Manly turn defence into attack, posting the first points of the match. Saab plucked a Jack Wighton ball from the air and streaked away to score a 95-metre try down the right edge.
Centre Tolu Koula has emerged to challenge for the mantle as the game’s fastest man but Saab showed his speed will again be a potent weapon in Manly’s attack this season.
Koula had the chance to put on the afterburners, with Saab looming in support, for Manly’s second try of the match.
The headache for Hasler is to find a place for Koula in the 17, with Brad Parker and Morgan Harper the first-choice centres. Harper was rested in both trials after playing in the All Stars match.
“Morgan will start, he’ll be ok,” Hasler said.
BACKS BATTLE
With Raiders winger Jordan Rapana suspended for the opening two rounds and fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad still going through return to play Covid protocols, coach Ricky Stuart has a number of decisions to make in the back five.
Xavier Savage’s impact was blunted compared to week one of the trials against the Sydney Roosters, where he was best on ground.
Matthew Timoko and Semi Valemei were solid in the centres without being spectacular. Returning Raider Nick Cotric barely touched the ball in the first half but made up for it with a try in the second half.
Co-captain and centre Jarrod Croker, who is returning from a serious knee injury, only played for 21 minutes.
SIX AND SEVENS
Canberra’s new halves pairing of Jack Wighton and Jamal Fogarty showed promising signs.
Playing on the right side, Fogarty showcased both his long and short kicking games at set ends. Wighton had a mixed bag on Friday night.
The intercept pass that led to Saab’s runaway try was then followed up by a handling error which also cost Canberra four points through Manly speedster Koula. But the playmaker made amends to keep his side in the contest.
Wighton showcased his pure strength close to the line with a left foot step helping him crash through the Manly defence.
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