The Tackle: Likes and dislikes from weekend, crackdown on blockers a long time coming

Dare we say it but the NRL might just have a new crackdown and we are all for it. PAM WHALEY reveals her likes and dislikes from the Pre-Season Challenge.

Dom Young went to hospital after suffering a shocking crusher tackle. Pictures: NRL Imagery

Nathan Brown getting pinged for blocking the running line of a defender trying to put kick pressure on was great to see.

He didn’t take anybody out with this play but was still penalised, under a, dare I say it, crackdown, for taking the defender’s right to attack the kicker away from him by standing next to the side of the ruck.

Teams have been getting away with it for too long.

The trick now is consistency from the refs.

It’s a tactic Penrith’s Isaah Yeo has been put under the spotlight for as he looked to give Nathan Cleary more time and space to kick.

Isaah Yeo’s tactics are under the spotlight for blocking defenders as Nathan Cleary kicks.

DISLIKES

BRING BACK THE BIN AFTER HORROR CRUSHER

Manly forward Toafofoa Sipley is facing a four-match ban for a dangerous crusher tackle on Dom Young that sent the Sydney Roosters winger to hospital and ruled him out of the Las Vegas season opener against Brisbane.

On Sunday morning the NRL match review committee handed out a raft of charges stemming from Saturday’s Pre-Season Challenge across four games.

However, Sipley’s grade two crusher tackle is the biggest of the lot.

And it raises the question of why he wasn’t sin-binned at the very least in Saturday’s 36-22 loss to the Roosters in Gosford.

The crusher tackle is one of the most dangerous wrestling manoeuvres to have leaked into the game over the past decade and it is universally agreed it should be eradicated before someone is seriously hurt.

And while Sipley’s contact on Young was accidental and he apologised for it straight away, it was powerful enough to send the young man to hospital on a stretcher as a precaution.

Toafofoa Sipley is facing a ban for this crusher tackle.

If we’re sending one player to hospital and the other is placed on report, surely that’s indication enough 10 minutes on the sidelines for the offender is appropriate?

Stamping out this kind of tackle quick and early is what’s best for the long season ahead, as well as the welfare of the players who entertain us every week.

Sipley will miss three matches if he takes the early guilty plea, which rules him out of selection for round 1 in Las Vegas, but faces four games on the sidelines if he challenges the charge and loses at the NRL judiciary.

As for other charges, Raiders forward Noah Martin has copped a one week ban for a grade two careless high tackle on Eels forward Luca Morretti.

Sharks prop Tom Hazleton has copped a $3000 fine for a careless high tackle on Mat Croker, and he faces a two-game suspension if he opts not to pay up.

It’s the third a subsequent offence for the Cronulla firebrand.

Parramatta’s Makahesi Makatoa has been hit with a $1000 fine for dangerous contact on Xavier Savage, Dragons forward Viliame Fifita has copped the same charge for dangerous contact on Souths’ Dean Hawkins.

Knights’ edge forward Sebastian Su’a was fined $1500 for a grade one shoulder charge on Cronulla’s Sam Stonestreet.

GET WELL

Seeing Knights youngster Krystian Mapapalangi and Parramatta’s Matt Arthur getting knocked out putting their heads in the wrong position making tackles.

Hopefully it isn’t too long until we see both back on the park.

Newcastle's Krystian Mapapalangi is helped from the field after getting his head in the wrong place.

RISKY KICKS

We haven’t seen enough of the new short dropouts/kick off rule to know whether it’s going to have any impact on the season.

Are clubs deliberately avoiding short kick-offs all together? Or is it all a bit of smoke and mirrors in the pre-season so rivals don’t get a read on game plans?

Either way, more please.

LIKES

Zyon Maiu'u has been sent off for this collision with Declan Casey.

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AN APPROPRIATE SEND-OFF

Warriors rookie Zyon Maiu’u was sent for an early shower after an ugly and forceful shoulder to the head of West Tigers centre Declan Casey.

A build up of aggression for the 20-year-old forward came out in the wrong way and Casey was the unfortunate victim.

He was taken from the field in a medicab with concern midway through Sunday’s trial in Christchurch after copping the big hit to the head.

It’s an unfortunate start to his Tigers career, joining the club in the off-season after a stint with Bulldogs.

In a sad twist of irony, Casey’s NRL debut with the Dogs in round 16 of 2022 was also cut short thanks to a nasty head knock.

ALL-ROUNDER RAIDER

The Green Machine has an all-action prospect in 18-year-old back rower Noah Martin. The mullet-sporting youngster put on some nice shots, scored a try and got put in the bin for a high tackle which will see him miss one game with an early plea for his tackle on Parramatta’s Luca Moretti.

Noah Martin gets put in the bin.

BAD HAIR DAY

There’s a fair share of lairy haircuts getting around the NRL these days, but it’s no open invitation for hairpulling.

It’s one of the dirtier acts on a football field and has no place in the game.

Titans forward Klese Haas was put on report for a particularly nasty grab on Gerome Burns on Sunday afternoon and he faces some trouble for it.

He knows better, as does everyone else.

"Grabbed by the ponytail."

You don't see that every day!

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ON THE CHIN

There’s normally nothing funny about a high shot but Victor Radley copping friendly fire from teammate Naufahu Whyte is the exception to that rule.

It’s not often Victor The Inflictor gets cleaned up but Whyte got him a beauty as the Roosters celebrated a try to Connor Watson.

Victor Radley cops some friendly fire from teammate Naufahu Whyte.

WELCOME ABROAD TARIQ

Loved the French TV commentator on L’Equipe losing his mind as one former NRL star levelled another with an early hit-of-the-year contender in the Super League.

Catalans’ ex-Storm, Dragons, Knights and Cowboys forward Tariq Sims absolutely smashed Warrington’s ex-Raiders playmaker George Williams with a bell-ringing classic. It’s not often the Super League makes this section but the hit and commentary were both too good to ignore.

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐨𝐨𝐨𝐦 😱💥 pic.twitter.com/5d2g7Lt2Qw

— Dragons Catalans (@DragonsOfficiel) February 17, 2024

RTS HOMECOMING

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is back where he belongs.

The former Dally M Medallist was close to the best on the field in his Warriors return on Sunday.

He played close to an hour in the centres and racked up 139 running metres and three tackle-breaks, picking up where he left off with one of the game’s best steps too.

Unreal.

BRONCOS FIND YOUNGSTER

Broncos looked have found the perfect replacement for Kurt Capewell on the left edge in Brendan Piakura but whether he’s there for the season opener is unclear after he finished the day in a knee brace.

The Broncos will be sweating on the fitness of the 21-year-old who is highly rated at Brisbane and it’s clear why they’ve locked him in until the end of 2027.

On Sunday he helped dismantle North Queensland with precision edge-running, scoring two tries from slick passes as well as three tackle-breaks, an offload and two linebreaks.

If trial form counts for anything, he’s in for a hell of a season.