Panthers hit back at physio sledge claim as audio clip emerges

Penrith has hit back at claims its physio sledged a Rabbitohs star as the footballer’s legendary father called for a lifetime ban.

Panthers trainer Pete Green being escorted from the field by Penrith officials

Penrith is adamant the trainer at the centre of a sledging furore will be free to continue his duties in Sunday’s NRL Grand Final against Parramatta.

The controversy started when Rabbitohs playmaker Cody Walker took issue with a comment Panthers physio Pete Green made when Penrith’s Dylan Edwards was tackled by ex-Panther Jed Cartwright during South Sydney’s preliminary final loss.

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Walker had to be held back as he gave Green a spray after the game and the physio was escorted from the field by Panthers officials.

Jed Cartwright’s father, Panthers legend and former Titans coach John Cartwright, has called for Green to be banned from rugby league for life, claiming the sledge was the “height of being a coward”.

“If it’s true that a trainer was sledging an opposition player then he should be banned for life,” Cartwright told NewsCorp.

“It’s the lowest act in the game – the lowest of the low. That’s not on. You shouldn’t have to cop any sledge off a f***ing trainer.

“The game is hard enough without copping it from someone you can’t have a crack back at. It’s the height of being a coward.

South Sydney’s Jed Cartwright. Picture: Phil Hillyard

John Cartwright. Picture David Clark

Cody Walker had some words for Pete Green. Photo: Channel 9.

“You cop sledges from opposition players, which is fair enough – you can say what you like. But you don’t need it off a bloke you can’t tackle or be tackled by.

“If there’s a bloke out there running with privilege, and he is privileged to be doing the job that he does, but if he’s sledging opposition players, then, as I said, he should be barred for life. I thought Jed had a great game – he didn’t deserve that.

“If a player sledges and gets under the skin of an opponent and they give away a penalty then that is all fair. But not a trainer bringing water out.”

It has been alleged Green referenced Cartwright’s struggles with a back injury during his time at the Panthers.

Cartwright came off the bench for Souths in the clash and has played 15 games for the Rabbitohs over the past three season, after managing just the one game for the Panthers in 2019.

Panthers trainer Pete Green was escorted from the field by Penrith officials.

But Penrith has disputed that claim, revealing there is audio of the alleged verbal altercation with Cartwright.

Green was reportedly wearing a microphone connected to the Panthers’ chief medical officer during the game — as part of new technology introduced this season as a way for trainers to communicate to club doctors on the sideline about injured players.

The Panthers are preparing a media statement to be released on Tuesday suggesting Green was simply acknowledging Cartwright’s strong tackle on Edwards.

The Daily Telegraph reports Green said words to the effect of: “You’ve got to give him that one, Dyl.”

The Penrith doctor said what he heard over the audio supports that claim.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary told reporters on Tuesday there was no way Green said what was alleged.

Ivan Cleary adamant South Sydney have got the Pete Green story wrong. Says there’s no way Green said what was alleged and the club stands by him pic.twitter.com/Mc4ZQuxjYb

— cody kaye (@Cody_KayeFOX) September 27, 2022

South Sydney have not made a formal complaint and the NRL is not investigating the matter.

Green and Cartwright have reportedly spoken since the incident and cleared the air.