NRL Tackle round 24: Stu Laundy’s push to save Blues coach Brad Fittler fails the pub test

A bid by Stu Laundy of the billion-dollar hotel empire to save Brad Fittler’s job simply must fall flat. The Blues don’t belong to a pub baron, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.

Jacob Preston's hip drop on Jackson Hastings.

Paul Crawley reveals his likes and dislikes from NRL round 24.

DISLIKES

BLUES DON’T BELONG TO A PUB BARON

Of all the stories we’ve read about the reasons why Brad Fittler should retain his NSW coaching position, the most outrageous was the one that surfaced over the weekend.

I choked on my cornflakes on Sunday reading that now Stu Laundy of the billion-dollar hotel empire wants to sponsor the Blues coaching team, but only if Freddy keeps his job.

“Freddy is my hero and my mate,” Laundy told Nine Newspapers.

“We love him, Joey (Andrew Johns) and Gus (Phil Gould), and if we can help we will.”

He went on to explain how one of his other rich mates sponsors Roosters coach Trent Robinson, “so I asked him about it and we want to back Freddy.”

I should point out that the story mentioned Fittler was not pushing this idea.

But someone needs to tell Laundy, as kind an offer as it is, the Blues are not a pub team playing in some bush competition and his offer can’t possibly have any sway whatsoever on Fittler’s potential reappointment.

The push to save Brad Fittler fails the pub test. Picture: Getty

What next? Will Nick Politis throw in to get James Tedesco to stay on in the Blues No.1 jumper next year, or get Luke Keary a recall?

Perhaps Rabbitohs billionaire owner Mike Cannon-Brookes could team up with Russell Crowe (throwing in a bit part in a Hollywood flick) to finally get Alex Johnston a start on the wing.

Maybe Hugh Jackman could throw in some acting and dancing lessons on Broadway for a little bit of Manly flavour/favour.

The possibilities are endless.

But on a serious note, surely this is a gee-up that the NSWRL would even take this into consideration.

The fact is the coach at Origin level has always lived and died by their results, and Fittler has now lost three of the past four series.

All the money in the world won’t change that.

JUMPER CLASH LEAVES NRL RED-FACED

As if the clash of the pink Panthers jersey and maroon and white of the Sea Eagles wasn’t bad enough on Thursday night, what about the sea of blue when the Sharks took on the Titans.

You were flat out telling who was on which team on some occasions throughout that match at Cronulla.

Just look at this picture (below) when they were packing into a scrum.

Surely with all the money and time that goes into marketing and merchandise sales these days they can do better than this.

As one person pointed out on social media, is anyone actually in charge of kit allocations?

While you can understand that teams change their jerseys and sometimes they do it for good reasons like raising money for charity, that should all be taken into account before they run out.

It was a sea of blue for the Sharks-Titans clash. Picture: Fox League

SOUTHS WAY OFF THE PACE

Back to the Bunker. You would think the first thing they would check when awarding a try off a kick would be to make sure the chasers were on side.

So on that note how on earth was the try to Cody Walker awarded in the 26-14 win over the Dragons?

The replays clearly showed almost every Souths player including Walker and Latrell Mitchell, who were directly involved in the try, were in front of Lachlan Ilias when he put up the bomb.

As brilliant as the piece of play was between Mitchell and Walker to finish the movement, it just shouldn’t have been a try.

At that point the Rabbitohs led 14-10 early in the second half but it put them 10 points up.

Don’t forget the Dragons copped another crook call that cost them a try last week in the loss to the Eels after Clint Gutherson stripped Jacob Liddle.

HIP DROP DRAMA PUTS KNIGHTS’ FINALS CHARGE IN DISARRAY

Newcastle’s late charge for the NRL finals look to have suffered a crushing blow due to an ugly hip drop tackle on star playmaker Jackson Hastings.

Hastings was forced from the field in the first half with what looks to be a serious ankle injury after having his leg buckled in a tackle from Bulldogs backrower Jacob Preston.

WATCH THE INCIDENT BELOW

Hastings was in obvious discomfort as Preston became the second Bulldog binned in the opening 40 minutes.

Hastings later returned to the sideline but had his right leg elevated and heavily strapped with ice.

The last thing the Knights need now is to see their chief playmaker sidelined for any length of time.

Jackson Hastings down with an ankle injury.

It would have brought back horrible memories for Hastings.

He of course had his season ended last year in a similar fashion while playing for Wests Tigers after breaking his leg and suffering a serious ankle injury following a hip drop tackle from Broncos’ lock Pat Carrigan.

Jacob Preston gets sent to the sin bin for this dangerous tackle on Jackson Hastings.

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WIGHTON/RAPANA BRAIN EXPLOSIONS SINK RAIDERS

What on earth has gone wrong with Jack Wighton?

Once upon a time the Canberra Raiders’ $1 million man was a big match weapon.

Clive Churchill Medal winner in the 2019 grand final defeat to the Roosters no less.

But Wighton, who is departing for South Sydney next year after copping a huge pay cut to get out of Canberra, has been rocks and diamonds for weeks now.

And that’s putting it kindly after another first half shocker in the 48-2 hiding from the Storm where Wighton came up with a series of really strange plays to start the match.

It included throwing two wild passes over the sideline, another went forward, while he gave up a seven-tackle set with a sloppy end to set.

Jack Wighton has been rocks and diamonds for weeks. Picture: NRL Photos

It’s just not what you’d expect from your club’s highest paid player with a top four spot on the line.

In comparison, the Storm’s superstars Jahrome Hughes, Harry Grant and Cameron Munster turned on an absolute clinic.

Meanwhile, how Jordan Rapana stayed on the field after his own first half brain explosions was an absolute mystery.

The first incident involved a trip when trying to stop Reimis Smith from scoring, while Rapana dangerously led with his knees when Eliesa Katoa crossed.

You just give up trying to work out what constitutes a sin bin and what doesn’t anymore.

Jordan Rapana’s two brain snaps. Picture: Fox League

INCONSISTENCY ON HIGH TACKLES A BLIGHT ON GAME

The NRL is not Oztag. And when you have the most experienced and successful coach in rugby league history telling you there is a problem, you should bloody well listen.

And right now fixing the crisis surrounding the inconsistency over the crackdown on high tackles is as important to improving the game on the field as it was getting a resolution to the recent pay war with the players over the collective bargaining agreement.

Because if the NRL is not careful the next people to threaten strike action may well be the fans.

Wayne Bennett had every right to be filthy about the controversial sin binning of Dolphins forward Ray Stone on Saturday night because it was one of the most ludicrous decisions we have seen in a season of many bewildering blunders.

More than anything, it just further highlights how the lack of consistency and confusion has seriously got beyond a joke.

When you watch the replay of that tackle on Roosters halfback Drew Hutchison and stop it frame by frame there is just no way Stone should have been sin binned for making accidental head contact.

Ray Stone was sent to the sin bin for this tackle.

Thoughts on this being a sin bin for Ray Stone? Seems unlucky given home commits to going low before Hutchison slips. #NRLRoostersDolphinspic.twitter.com/CdzCtLAjmw

— Hynesight (@Hynesight7) August 12, 2023

As the images show, Stone had set himself for the tackle with text book perfection.

He had his back lowered and he was aiming for a shot in the midriff, below the ball, when at the last split-second Hutchison had his legs chopped from under him by Dolphins halfback Sean O’Sullivan.

In that instant Hutchison’s body height dropped by about a foot.

Yes, there was direct and forceful contact to the head.

But there was also no way in the world Stone could have done anything to change the outcome.

But to see referee Todd Smith then march Stone to the sin bin on the advice of the Bunker was outrageous.

I truly feel sorry for the match officials and the Bunker because at the moment they are obviously under such strict orders by the NRL’s to be tough on any high contact they have completely thrown common sense out the window.

But this decision not only turned the game, it sent an alarming warning to every player and coach in the countdown to the finals that the game has officially lost the plot.

This comes a week after the madness of last round when we had a series of ridiculous decisions after Nathan Brown was sent off, Tom Burgess sin binned and Jarome Luai not even penalised for three tackles that were almost identical.

But the Stone sin binning takes the cake because this was the definition of a rugby league accident.

As Bennett said post match, at worst it should have resulted in a penalty and being placed on report.

But to sit back and watch the Roosters run in two tries while Stone was off the field ruined the game.

No wonder rusted on footy fans are so fed up at the lack of consistency right now.

God help the NRL if a decision like this ends up costing a team the grand final.

The Dolphins' Ray Stone gets put in the bin for his hit on Drew Hutchison. NRL Imagery

BUMPER CRACKDOWN EXPOSES MORE INCONSISTENCIES

Now for the other crackdown.

The Stone sin bin farce came in the same game match officials allowed two blatant sin bin offences to go through to the keeper.

How Roosters centre Billy Smith didn’t get 10 minutes for deliberately and dangerously lifting his forearm into the head of Kodi Nikorima defies belief.

While Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace was also lucky not to get sin binned for a high shot on Victor Radley, especially when you take into consideration the punishment handed out last round.

So it was probably no great surprise neither incident then rated a mention on the NRL match review charge sheet.

But just to make it all the more baffling, of the three players put on report over the weekend for running with their bumpers up, only the Warriors’ Dallin Watenze-Zelezniak was hit with a grade one dangerous contact charge and will get off with a $1000 fine.

The Tigers Stefano Utoikamanu was also placed on report but not charged for the incident involving John Bateman.

Yet Stone not only gets sin binned but then cops a grade one high tackle charge and faces a $3000 fine if he takes the early “guilty” plea.

Fair dinkum, it’s all as clear as mud.

LIKES

WALSH LIVES UP TO LOCKYER/SLATER HYPE

Compare what the Rabbitohs are dishing up right now to that of the Broncos and Panthers and it just shows how far off the pace Souths really are.

The Broncos’ 54-10 demolition of the Eels was yet another game that showed why the comparisons between Walsh and a young Darren Lockyer or Billy Slater are in no way an exaggeration.

The young gun fullback only had eight runs for 109m but that included a try, two line breaks, five line break assists and a try assist.

You just can’t wait to see what the 21-year-old might be capable of in this upcoming finals series.

Meanwhile, look at the metres of every member of the Panthers’ back five and it sums up why they are such a phenomenal team across the park.

Dylan Edwards finished with 17 runs for 185m, Sunia Turuva 20 runs for 245m including a try, Zac Hosking 15 for 120m, Stephen Crichton 11 for 153m including two tries, and Brian To’o 21 runs for 197m including a try.

It’s just a shame another Bunker howler where the knock on from Liam Martin before Crichton’s second try took some of the spotlight away from the win.

Reece Walsh is an absolute superstar. Picture: Getty

INJURED MOSES’ INSPIRATIONAL EFFORT

It is a massive blow for the Eels’ finals hopes losing Mitchell Moses for the season with a fractured eye-socket.

But you can only admire Moses’ courage after he suffered that injury in the opening minutes but played on until halftime.

Not only that, he almost came up with a spectacular try saving effort on Herbie Farnworth where the halfback really put his body on the line.

There was a time where Moses’ toughness was always being questioned.

Not anymore.

Even though the Broncos centre managed to break free and score, with Farnworth celebrating by running backwards into the goal area and blowing a kiss, the effort from Moses was still top shelf.

KAUFUSI’S EYE-WATERING 200TH GAME PRESENT TO KEARY

There haven’t been many more courageous players in the modern game than little Luke Keary.

And just to add to Keary’s 200th match milestone celebrations, Felise Kaufusi threw in a good old fashioned rib rattler that Trevor “The Axe” Gillmeister would have been proud of for free.

The moment Kaufusi hit Keary you could literally see the eye-watering pain he was in.

But to his credit he got straight back up and played on in a really important Roosters win.

It’s also great to see Drew Hutchison going so well as Keary’s halves partner.

Though you just wonder how Hutchison’s two-try performance is going to impact Sam Walker’s hopes of an NRL recall in the coming weeks.

Walker made a good 80-minute return for North Sydney on Sunday after 15 weeks out with a knee injury, racking up two try assists and kicking three goals from three attempts in the Bears’ 18-10 NSW Cup win over the Roosters.

But the way the Roosters’ NRL side are going right now, you’d think Trent Robinson, who was in the stands watching Walker at North Sydney Oval, would be reluctant to make any unnecessary changes with the Chooks still clinging to a slight hope of making the playoffs ahead of this Friday’s huge clash against the Eels.

Addin Fonua-Blake has been phenomenal for the Warriors. Picture: Getty

FONUA-BLAKE AS DAMAGING AS HAAS

While Shaun Johnson understandably hogs the spotlight in the Warriors’ charge towards a top four finish, how about the season Addin Fonua-Blake is having.

The rampaging prop had another monster game in the 30-22 win over Wests Tigers, finishing with a phenomenal 25 runs for 239m that included the match-clinching try.

Fox Sports Stats has Fonua-Blake averaging 154m-a-game this season, which is just shy of the 166m from Bronco powerhouse Payne Haas. But Haas has only one try to Fonua-Blake’s seven.

Meanwhile, you just come to expect the amazing acrobatics of Dallin Watene-Zelezniak who came up with another unbelievable try finish, where his entire body was over the sideline as he touched down with fingertip precision.

TIGERS’ EFFORT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED

With Wests Tigers destined for back-to-back wooden spoons, you certainly can’t question their effort.

Last round the Tigers were desperately unlucky against the Raiders where they were on the wrong side of a rotten forward pass decision.

And they backed that up with another committed effort to go down to the Warriors.

It’s just a shame they are losing Luke Brooks to Manly and Daine Laurie to the Panthers at the end of the season, because this halves combination could have really developed into something with time.

I know the Tigers are copping a lot of criticism after another tough season, but I reckon Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall have them now playing their best footy since Ivan Cleary was coaching them back in 2018.