Revealed: Why Lachlan Lewis lost the plot with Cody Walker

The Bulldogs’ feud with South Sydney half Cody Walker stems from an incident four months ago involving Canterbury fullback Nick Meaney.

Canterbury's Lachlan Lewis moments before he wrestles South Sydney's Cody Walker as they walk off at halftime. Source: Fox Sports

Canterbury’s animosity towards Cody Walker had been simmering for four months. On Sunday night at Cbus Stadium, it exploded in bizarre circumstances, leaving Canterbury half Lachlan Lewis facing a $1500 fine after being charged by the match review committee with grade one contrary conduct.

Lewis’s decision to rag doll Walker to the ground as the teams made their way off the field for halftime prompted head-scratching from fans and commentators alike. All anyone really wanted to know on Monday is what prompted Lewis’s rage.

The Australian can reveal it relates back to the round four game between the sides at Stadium Australia when Walker was charged with a grade one striking for an elbow to the back of Nick Meaney’s head. Bulldogs players were fuming with that incident and have been stewing on it for months.

With that incident in the back of their minds, their anger was only amplified when Walker and Meaney came together on the stroke of halftime on Sunday night. As the pair regained their feet, old wounds were reopened and words were exchanged.

Lewis became involved and Walker is said to have told him: “Go to back to reserve grade.”

That’s when the situation escalated, prompting the Bulldogs half to grab Walker and wrestle him to the ground. A melee ensued and when the teams were broken up and the rest of the players made their way off the field, Lewis was called back by referee Ben Cummins and sent to the sin bin.

The animosity resumed when the teams returned for the second half – Bulldogs sources sent The Australian a still image on Monday which appeared to show Walker using his forearm on Meaney later in the match.

It continued the recent history of bad blood between the sides, although the rivalry will no doubt be watered down next season when Meaney departs for Melbourne and Lewis finds another club – he is yet to receive an offer from the Bulldogs.

For the time being, Walker, Meaney and Lewis are going to find it hard to avoid each other — Souths and Canterbury are staying in the same hub on the Gold Coast.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley was reluctant to delve too deeply into the incident on Monday given Lewis had been charged by the judiciary.

“I have to be careful about what I say in relation to that incident because it is a judiciary charge,” Annesley said.

“All I can say is that it was an unusual incident. I can’t remember something like that happening, certainly in recent years anyway.

“You would be struggling to find an exact example of that happening in the past after the halftime siren. To what was involved and what motivated it or sparked it, and whether there is any evidence Lachlan might like to give if he decides to defend the charge, that is a matter for him and the club.

“It was an unusual incident and I think it is best to let it play out through the judicial process at this point.”

Annesley confirmed he had spoken to Trent Barrett on Sunday night after the Bulldogs coach had questioned the sin-binning of Lewis and the lopsided penalty count against his side.

“I did get a call from Trent last night,” Annesley said.

“I am sure he won’t mind me confirming I got a call from him. We had a very general discussion. I have already told (referees boss) Jared Maxwell this morning I would have a conversation with him about some of the concerns that were raise din our conversation.

“Trent is a good guy, I have known him a, long time. He is obviously a bit frustrated at losing some games recently.”