Matty Johns slams dog NRL act, wants it banned for good

Matty Johns is one of the sharpest minds in rugby league but there’s something he hates seeing in the NRL and he wants it outlawed.

Matty Johns wants cannonball tackles outlawed.

Matty Johns wants cannonball tackles gone for good.

Last year the NRL implemented a crackdown on high tackles but it’s down below where Johns has just many issues.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free In Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

A cannonball tackle is when a ball carrier is standing up and held in a tackle, before another defender — often the third man in — comes shooting in and attacks the legs.

It always looks nasty when it unfolds and risks causing serious knee injuries to players who have nowhere to go and no way of protecting themselves.

Speaking on SEN radio on Friday, Johns took aim at the ugly tactic and called on NRL Players Association boss Clint Newton to take a stand, rather than just leaving it up to referees, the match review committee and judiciary.

“If I was Clint Newton of the RLPA, I would be going around all the clubs and saying listen, the primary responsibility of the RLPA is player safety,” Johns said.

“If you (players) are found guilty of doing a cannonball tackle or something alike, then you’re out of the players association.

“You talk about player welfare — that just undermines that argument completely on everything.

“If you’re (NRL boss) Peter V’landys and you go to Peter saying, ‘We’re worried about this, we’re worried about that’, he could say, ‘Well exhibit A, player welfare, have a look at what the players are doing to the players.”

Lindsay Collins escaped sanction for this tackle. Photo: Fox League