Eels’ Junior Paulo charged for David Fifita tackle
In a decision that will spark widespread debate, the NRL match review committee has slapped Parramatta prop Junior Paulo with a grade one dangerous contact charge.
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Eels forward Junior Paulo is facing a one-game ban ahead of the finals for his controversial tackle on Broncos forward David Fifita.
In a decision that will spark widespread debate, the NRL match review committee has slapped Paulo with a grade one dangerous contact charge following the incident on Friday night.
Paulo was penalised and placed on-report for the incident that forced Fifita from the field.
League immortal Andrew Johns was stunned the issue even raised a penalty, describing the tackle as an “accident.”
The base penalty for the charge is 100 points. Paulo will miss a game if he fights the charge at the judiciary and loses.
He can avoid a suspension by taking the early-guilty plea and which would leave 75 points remaining on his record ahead of the finals.
NRL Head of Football Graham Annesley defended the decision to charge Paulo.
“I’ve heard some of the public commentary over the last 24 hours and I’m a little bit surprised by it because it’s not something new,” Annesley told 2GB
“Over the last three years there’s been charges laid for this type of offence. This year alone there’s been six charges already and 33 concerning acts issued to clubs - that’s effectively a warning.
“Trends emerge in our game from time to time. I’m not going suggest they’re coached, but they do tend to emerge.
“I don’t want to pass any judgement on what happened last night, the match review committee laid a charge and he may be innocent of that charge. But we have seen it, some of them are dangerous and some of them have seen players missing quite a number of games.
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Last night, Parramatta coach Brad Arthur slammed The Bunker’s decision to place prop Junior Paulo on report for the alleged Hip Drop tackle, saying: “They need to stay out of it and get the rulings right on tries”.
On a night where the Eels scored a bit like Rock Hudson circa 1945 – albeit against Brisbane – it was rugby league’s newest infringement which proved the talking point afterwards.
First, there was the Chicken Wing. Then more recently, the Crusher.
Yet now it is the Hip Drop – named after a tackle where the defender drops from around the hips onto the legs of an attacker – which is being cracked down by NRL officialdom.
But as for whether that was what Paulo did to Broncos enforcer Fifita, who limped from the field after the 45th minute incident and later returned to the sidelines on crutches?
“No way,” fired Artrhur.
“There was nothing in it that. It shouldn’t have even been a penalty.
“What’s he supposed to do?”
Officially, Paulo was charged with dangerous contact.
But proving the Eels prop did anything bar accidentally land his 100-plus-who-knows-how-much kilos on Fifita in a chaotic tangle of bodies?
Good luck.
While eighth Immortal Andrew Johns described the incident as accidental in Channel Nine commentary, it is understood referee Henry Perenara put Paulo on report after being tipped off by The Bunker.
It is also understood the NRL sent an email to all CEOS before Round 11 warning that there would be a crackdown on all illegal contact below the knees.
Asked if officials were now looking for illegalities where there simply were none, Arthur said of the men upstairs: “I think they need to stay out of it and just get the rulings right on the tries”.
Regardless, the night belonged to Parramatta.
ELECTRIC EELS
Specifically, The King – fullback Clint Gutherson.
Outstanding for the Eels, Gutherson scored two tries, passed for a third, made five tackle busts and was generally in as much as you’s expect the Eels fittest man.
Truly, the bloke was Captain Everywhere.
Better for the Eels, too, is his consistency.
Elsewhere, Blake Ferguson broke a try drought, Maika Sivo almost broke a jaw and Jai Field … well, he broke downfield at speed — picking up a loose Broncos pass and racing 50m to score.
After scoring just two points against Penrith last start, and 0 against South Sydney a fortnight earlier, the Eels played themselves back into some form against the Broncos.
Quizzed on recent criticism about his side’s attack, Arthur said: “We scored five tries and could’ve scored six
“That’s better than the zero we got last week.”
STINGER IN
It was a win, too, whose construction began on the first Eels carry.
When Fijian powerhouse Maika Sivo became, well, Maika Statement.
Returning the Broncos opening kick downfield all attitude and intent, Sivo charged the ball and, approaching the line, twisted his body ever so slightly.
Thwack.
Apart from denting the line, Sivo’s shoulder also dented the chin of young Brisbane No. 6 Tyson Gamble – whose night was officially over after 60 seconds.
The night proved a welcome return to form for both Eels flankers, who each scored, while Fergo also made five tackle busts and 162m.
BUMBLING BRONCOS
At which point you have to wonder if anyone plays a team back into form quite like these Queenslanders?
An outfit who has not simply lost a coach, but all idea defensively.
While Parramatta undoubtedly attacked well, the Bananabenders were at a loss at different stages defensively the only thing missing was a Benny Hill soundtrack.
Appropriately, they now sit within a week of the wooden spoon.
Originally published as Eels’ Junior Paulo charged for David Fifita tackle