‘Hard to watch’: Andrew Johns rages over sickening NRL tackle

Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns has taken aim at the NRL, hitting back over one of the ugliest tackles of the season.

Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns has hit out at the NRL’s match review committee’s decision to hand Roosters centre Junior Pauga a four-match ban for a sickening hit on Canterbury’s Connor Tracey.

With less than 10 minutes left in the Roosters’ 26-8 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday night, Pauga caught Tracey with a swinging arm that collected the fullback directly in the head.

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While commentators and fans are usually quick to look for excuses for ugly acts like that, there was no defending Pauga.

“That’s direct contact to the head, and he’s going to leave the field here, that’s a swinging arm … that’s a bad one,” Michael Ennis said.

“Tracey on the field, and there is concern quite obviously for his medical condition, don’t have to have watched a lot of rugby league to know Junior’s night is over,” Warren Smith said.

Referee Grant Atkins was heard on mic saying “That looks bad to me Goughy (Bunker official Peter Gough).”

As Tracey was treated on the ground, it was clear he’d be missing next week’s clash as well as he slumped to the ground, while Atkins simply said: “Mate, you’re off.”

“Nobody surprised at that decision,” Smith added in commentary.

No angle makes it look alright. Photo: Fox Sports

Atkins had no choice. Photo: Fox Sports

On Sunday morning, the NRL revealed Pauga had been slapped with a Grade 2 Reckless High Tackle charge and would be sidelined for four weeks with an early guilty plea. If he fights and loses, it will be five weeks.

But Johns thought the NRL let Pauga off lightly for the ugly act.

Speaking on Channel 9’s The Sunday Footy Show, Johns could barely watch the replay.

“Four weeks? A million per cent (it should have been more),” Johns said.

“That was a stiff arm, an old-fashioned coat hanger. It’s hard to watch.”

Roosters legend and former NSW Origin coach Brad Fittler agreed the NRL had got it wrong.

“I can’t see where they got the four weeks,” he said.

“I’ve watched Junior this year, he has had an incredible season, but I reckon he slips just before he takes off to chase. I haven’t seen anything like this in his game but four weeks …,” he said as he shook his head.

Freddy Fittler wasn't happy. Photo: Fox Sports

Johns said it was "hard to watch". Photo: Fox Sports

Johns said it had been a trend that had come into the game as centres and wingers jam in defence.

“When they jam from outside-in the centres and wingers to put pressure on, you’ve got to get it right,” Johns said. “We’ve seen Maika Sivo pinged a few times, obviously we saw (Joseph) Sua’ali’i in Origin … but this one is awful,” Johns added.

Broncos great Sam Thaiday was in full agreement.

“He got everything wrong in this,” Thaiday said.

“It’s a very lazy effort and attempt at making a tackle. He deserved a send off and I think four weeks is pretty light for that type of tackle.”

Johns concluded: “How he didn’t break his jaw or the way Connor Tracey landed, how he didn’t tear his ACL or break his leg … that was awful.”