NRL news Round 23: Graham Annesley responds to send-off ‘crackdown’ after Nathan Brown, Moeaki Fotuaika marched
Two players were sent-off in back-to-back games for the first time since 2021. But the NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley insists there is no crackdown.
Poor discipline by players rather than any sort of crackdown is to blame for the infringement blitz to start round 23 according to NRL head of football Graham Annesley.
The opening three matches of the round have been overshadowed by two send-offs, two sin-bins and an average of eight infringements more per game than the rest of the NRL season.
Despite the referee’s blowing their whistles more and seemingly harsher punishment for foul play, When asked if there was a crackdown Annesley said; “No it’s not the case.
“There has been no instructions given to the referees that are different to any other week.”
Sydney Roosters interchange forward Nathan Brown was sent from the field on Thursday night in his first involvement of the match while Moeaki Fotuaika also missed a large chunk of the Titans loss to the Warriors on Friday after being sent off.
Both were hit with a grade two careless high tackle charges and will result in a one-game ban with an early guilty plea.
Francis Molo and James Tamou were sent off in back to back matches in round 23 while it also occurred during the Magic Round crackdown in 2021.
Penrith’s Jarome Luai was fined $3000 for his high tackle on Melbourne’s Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
There were 34 combined penalties and restarts on Thursday night during the Roosters and Manly clash while there were 11 penalties in the Titans and Warriors game.
“While I can’t talk about the players that have been charged, certainly the game on Thursday night and the Titans and Warriors game they were extremely difficult to referee,” Annesley said. “There was an intense lack of discipline by the teams involved and that is going to require the intervention of the referee more than normal. It was a consequence of the way those games unfolded.”
According to Fox Sports Lab there has been an average of 24 infringements in the opening three games this round. The rest of the season average is 15.7.
Even Friday’s clash between Melbourne and Penrith – two top four teams – produced 23 infringements.
Annesley said the desperation of sides trying to push for a top eight spot would contribute to those sides testing the boundaries.
“The stakes have risen,” Annesley said. “Teams are now fighting for places. There are only a handful of games left. Every game is critical to those clubs that are either fighting for a position in the eight or who contention for the eight.
“That level of intensity has risen to a point where it’s resulted in teams pushing the envelope. When you push the envelopment you can’t expect that the referees won’t react.”
LUAI FINED FOR HIGH SHOT ON STORM ENFORCER
—David Riccio
Penrith five-eighth Jarome Luai will escape suspension after the NRL match review committee hit the playmaker with a fine.
Luai has been charged with a grade one careless high tackle on Storm forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona in Friday night’s big win over Melbourne.
He’ll cop a $3000 fine with an early guilty plea, or risks a two-game ban if he fights the charge at the judiciary.
SEND-OFF SPREE CONTINUES WITH STORM TRAINER MARCHED
—Matt Cleary
As Baltimore stick-up man Omar Little says in hit US crime show The Wire, “You come at the King you best not miss”.
And so it proved for Melbourne Storm at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night when they brought knives to a gunfight with premiership title favourites Penrith and were beaten up 26-6.
“We didn’t just shoot ourselves in the foot – we blew both our feet off,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.
“With the number of errors, looking for shortcuts — that doesn’t work against a team like that. You’ve got to be squeaky clean to go with them.
“The first half was really disappointing the amount of errors we made. I don’t want to say they were dumb things. But they were dumb things.”
And without Jahrome Hughes, Justin Olam and Xavier Coates, and the Panthers machine humming, the crowd of 19,593 was entertained by tries to Brian To’o (2), Jarome Luai and Stephen Crichton.
TRAINER GATE
In a first for season 2023 – and for as long as many observers can remember given Allan Langer’s apparently free rein as Brisbane Broncos’ non-playing halfback — former Storm backrower and ‘blue shirt’ Melbourne trainer Ryan Hinchcliffe was ordered off the field in no uncertain terms by referee Gee.
The referee just gave a Melbourne Storm trainer the boot! 😅
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) August 4, 2023
📺 Watch #NRLPanthersStorm on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/JFFu9aqOLQ
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/jWWCRfX2zD
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/leObmTkvIkpic.twitter.com/jDxPq6tFUo
“Get off. I won’t cop it. Get off,” Gee commanded.
CLEARY COPS FULL NELSON
It wasn’t high, which was lucky for Nelson Asofa-Solomona. But late? Oh, yes. As the crowd demanded the big man’s dismissal for a shot on Cleary, referee Adam Gee issued a penalty.
Yet it was clear a message had been sent to the Panthers playmaker: you aren’t here to play in a dinner suit.
Didn’t worry Cleary. He knew that. He set up Crichton’s try with a basketball pass before nailing the sideline conversion to make it 20-6 at halftime.
BAD NEWS JENNINGS
Jennings was injured in the play before Storm’s first try and limped off the field and up the race with an MCL injury. Bellamy later conceded that Jennings’ season is likely over.
“With four weeks to go, his season’s probably done,” Bellamy said. “Hopefully not the case but it’s probably a six, eight-week injury. He’s had a really bad run and deserves better. He works as hard as anyone.”
It is a terrible result for Jennings who was in his first game back since round one of 2022 when an ACL injury ruled him out all last season.
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