Ugly fallout to NRL Grand Final drama between rival stars

An announcement has poured fuel on a burning NRL Grand Final drama between two of the biggest stars in the game.

Nathan Cleary and Payne Haas.

The Kangaroos squad announcement has piled further heat on Broncos star Payne Haas over the ugly Grand Final incident that nearly changed the course of history.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga was on Tuesday rocked by the news Nathan Cleary was unavailable for selection as a result of a knee injury suffered during his team’s epic comeback win over the Broncos in Sunday night’s NRL Grand Final.

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While Cleary will miss the entire Pacific Championships series, Haas is free to play in the series opener against Samoa, despite being cited by the NRL match review over a hip drop tackle that left Cleary hobbling on one leg.

Haas was hit with a Grade 1 dangerous contact tackle after using the controversial tackling technique the NRL has been trying to outlaw this season.

Payne Haas couldn’t stop him. Photo by Izhar KHAN / AFP.

He accepted an early guilty plea and will pay a fine of $1800. It was his second offence.

The contrast between the Broncos enforcer’s and Cleary’s fates has not gone unnoticed.

The thing that saved Haas’ bacon may be that Cleary was able to shrug off a knee injury and went on to produce one of the greatest second half performances ever seen in an NRL Grand Final.

Nathan Cleary is in doubt for the Kangaroos games after suffering a knee injury in the #NRLGF (via @MCarayannis). Happened in the 10th minute - scans to come to determine nature/severity but limited video brings concern for MCL sprain w hip drop tackle causing knee to collapse in pic.twitter.com/siHEixpv47

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) October 3, 2023

That isn’t enough for some fans, who have taken aim at the NSW State of Origin forward for severely impacting Australia’s Pacific Championship Series hopes. Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans is expected to be given the No. 7 jumper, while Sharks playmaker Nicho Hynes has also earned a call up.

One fan posted on Twitter on Wednesday: “All year HipDrop declared dangerous & Suspension. Haas gets fine. Cleary misses Kangaroos. NRL Judiciary Farcical, Bunker, Refs a Joke.

“Absolutely no consistency in games.”

Another posted on Twitter: “Can’t begrudge the way the GF was refereed, but for that to only be a fine just screams protected international.

“That is exactly the tackle that they need to get out of the game.”

Dylan Edwards, Kalyn Ponga Kangaroos snubs a ‘deadset travesty’

Nathan Cleary of the Panthers celebrates with the trophy on Sunday. Photo by Izhar KHAN / AFP.

Penrith Panthers premiership fullback Dylan Edwards has been labelled the “unluckiest player” in the game after he was once again snubbed for representative honours.

The 27-year-old is often seen as one of the Panthers’ unsung heroes as he puts out massive metres week in, week out but is overlooked for NSW and Australian honours.

While Edwards is in a remarkable era of fullbacks with the likes of Australian and NSW captain James Tedesco, reigning Dally M Medallist Kalyn Ponga and two of the biggest stars in the game in Reece Walsh and Latrell Mitchell, the Panthers fullback’s output is undeniable.

Edwards has played a huge part in the Panthers’ success and was even considered a chance to take Tedesco’s Blues No. 1 jersey during the Origin series.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has followed suit and chosen loyalty, selecting Tedesco as the only fullback in his 21-man squad for the Pacific Championships.

Veteran NRL commentator Andrew Voss told his SEN 1170 Breakfast show that it didn’t ring true as if Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic were fit and available, they would have been selected to play in the centres.

“If Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell are fit, they would be playing (for Australia) in a position they don’t normally play for their club sides,” Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“I honestly think that Tedesco should get bumped to the centres because Dylan Edwards must be picked.

“He has had three years of absolute excellence, he should be an Australian representative because he’s in our top 20 players.

“You find a way to get him into the team and I’ll go as far to say that not one player in that backline deserves a place more than Dylan Edwards.

“His case cannot be denied now. The bloke cannot do any more to be picked for Australia.

“I don’t think that anyone more qualified has missed a representative jersey than Dylan Edwards.

“He is the unluckiest player I have ever come across.”