NRL: Broncos legend Corey Parker calls for bunker to ‘do its job’ following forgettable weekend

The NRL spends big dollars on the bunker, but the technology is a waste of money if it can’t be used effectively, says a Broncos great.

Latrell Mitchell’s controversial high shot on former teammate Joey Manu. Picture: Fox Sports

Brisbane and Queensland legend Corey Parker has urged the bunker to do “its job effectively”, warning emotions could spill over during the NRL finals following a blowout weekend of judiciary charges.

Rugby league’s eye in the sky has come under scrutiny after failing to act promptly when Roosters centre Joey Manu suffered a fractured cheekbone as the result of high hit from South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell.

Mitchell’s forceful tackle, combined with 19 judiciary charges in round 24, raises concerns that there could be more suspensions as the stakes increase in the finals.

Parker shares these fears, but believes the bunker needs to improve when identifying and correctly punishing ill-discipline.

“The bunker needs to be used effectively,” Parker said.

“A lot of the tension following Latrell’s hit could have been elevated if the referees had sent him off.

“The Roosters’ players wouldn’t have been as frustrated because the tackle would have been dealt with straight away.

Latrell Mitchell was sent to the sin bin after this shoulder hit left former teammate Joey Manu sporting a damaged cheekbone. Picture: Fox Sports

“But it took Joey Manu two times to intervene before anything was done about it – and then Latrell only received 10 minutes in the sin bin.

“The bunker was sitting there watching everything we saw at home and at the ground through forceful contact to Manu’s head, but they didn’t act.

“Whereas, back in round 10 when the high tackle crackdown was first enforced, they were jumping on everything.

“That is the frustration for everyone in the game.”

Parker also concedes that players must take on responsibility for their ill-discipline, especially forceful contact to the head.

He expects there to be more suspensions in the finals when the intensity of the game increases.

“The players are also coming into the finals, which is ultimately the biggest part of the year, and you could have some really serious ramifications,” he said.

“Am I surprised by it (the 19 charges), not really, especially after what we saw on Friday night with Latrell.

“There were five games remaining after that high contact, and I can only assume that the NRL were given a bit of a shot over the bow from what we saw on Friday night and to clamp down on the weekend.

Players get caught in difficult positions. Picture: Supplied by Fox Sports

“That (the charges) might be a result of that.

On the flip side, Parker believes there are players deliberately staying down to milk penalties, especially when it comes to the crusher tackle.

This has been on show throughout the season and has resulted in big suspensions for players who may have just been caught up in a difficult position as opposed to completing a crusher tackle with forceful contact to a rival’s neck.

Parker wants the milking on crusher tackles to stop, fearing a big name will be unfairly rubbed out for the finals.

“It was different when I was playing, but it wouldn’t sit well with me to lay down,” he said.

“Whether they got a whack on the nose and know they got a whack, but with the gamesmanship they stay down and get a penalty.

“But if they just played on, nothing is done about it.

“We see it all the time with crusher tackles. In my opinion, some of them are really unavoidable but they carry so much weight at the judiciary.

“For me, that is a real issue, because it is a contact sport and there are players that are going to get caught in difficult positions.

“As a game, I think we need to look at that. A star player could face three or four weeks out and it could be the difference between winning a competition.”