Melbourne forward Trent Loiero in hot water after ‘dangerous’ cannonball tackle

Melbourne Storm forward Trent Loiero could be in hot water with the match review committee for this “dangerous” tackle.

Melbourne Storm forward Trent Loiero could be in hot water with the match review committee following a “dangerous” tackle on Tigers forward Luciano Leilua during Saturday evening’s contest at CommBank Stadium.

Late in the first half of the Storm’s 26-16 victory, Leilua was wrapped up by Melbourne’s Kenny Bromwich and Josh King before Loiero charged into the Tigers star’s legs with a cannonball tackle.

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Leilua screamed out in agony as he hit the deck before gingerly returning to his feet and receiving treatment from the Tigers trainers. Match referee Chris Sutton awarded a penalty before play resumed.

“This is the dangerous one where they come around from the back and the player has no sight of that defender,” former Cronulla Sharks star Michael Ennis said on Fox League commentary.

“All of a sudden they get chopped from behind. He’s in some real pain here.

“We need to get those tackles out of the game. They’re just really, really ugly and it’s going to do someone real damage.

“We can’t keep rolling the dice, we can’t keep waiting until someone does an ACL to then outlaw it.”

Luciano Leilua of the Tigers. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Speaking to reporters after the 10-point defeat, Tigers coach Michael Maguire said he didn’t want to comment on the incident.

“I’d have to have another look at it,” he said.

“It’s definitely something that we never, ever practice, but it’s something that the game needs to watch. It’s pretty dangerous, and it’s a bad tackle if it’s done on someone.

“You can see there that Luch was hobbling around for a fair while, but I’ll let the game sort that out.

“But I’m sure they’ll deal with that.

“It definitely got him. Let’s see where it goes.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy told reporters: “I didn’t see it closely, but I thought he was still moving.

“If they’re standing up and they’re not moving, you can’t go in and do that, I thought he was still moving — I might be wrong, I might be proven wrong there.

“I’d like to think he hasn’t done that, but like I said I thought he still had his legs driving.”

Justin Olam of the Storm with his teammates. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Storm are in the midst of an opening round injury crisis after two seemingly serious injuries in the first 25 minutes of Saturday’s game in Parramatta.

First to go down was hooker Brandon Smith, who left the field inside the opening five minutes with a suspected fractured hand.

Soon after, winger George Jennings was helped into the sheds after crumpling to the deck with a right knee concern.

And just before the full-time siren, the Storm copped another blow when prop Christian Welch suffered a suspected ruptured achilles.

Melbourne will next face the South Sydney Rabbitohs at AAMI Park on Thursday, with kick-off scheduled for 8.05pm AEDT.