‘It is confusing’: Bulldogs seething over star forward’s ban but accept high tackle crackdown is good for game

The Bulldogs have been left confused over a star forward’s ban, but Stephen Crichton has no issue with the NRL’s crackdown on high contact.

Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton has backed the NRL’s message to clubs that high contact will be scrutinised more heavily this weekend after four clear sin bins were missed by the officials in round 4.

Jarome Luai, Jordan Riki, Tom Gilbert and Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney were lucky to stay on the field for making forceful and direct contact to the head, with all four men charged but not sent to the sin bin.

The NRL has acknowledged that the Bunker and the referees were too lenient over the weekend, with an email sent to all 17 clubs warning them high contact will not be tolerated.

Reed Mahoney has been criticised for his tackle on Daniel Atkinson.

“I feel like if you’ve got a good tackle technique and tackle properly, then you won’t get in trouble,” Crichton said.

“I see where the NRL is coming from with protecting players and things like that. If those are the new rules, then you can’t change it and you’ve got to roll with it.

“I feel like what the NRL is trying to do is protect players, and I think that’s probably the best way with HIAs and looking after players’ brains after footy.

“I’m a massive believer in that because there’s a massive life after footy, so it’s important to look after yourself when you’re in this career.

“Over the weekend there were a lot of 50-50 calls, and I feel that they’re cracking down on it now to protect the players.

“Every NRL team now is in the same boat and knows what it looks like. There are no 50-50 calls – if there’s contact with the head, then you’re gone.”

Bulldogs players love the energy Mahoney brings. Picture: NRL Photos

The tougher stance has put Mahoney on notice, with the fiery hooker charged twice following Saturday’s win over the Sharks for a high shot on Toby Rudolf as well as for making dangerous contact on Daniel Atkinson when he was on the ground.

Mahoney was fined twice and has since been called a “liability” by sections of the media, but his coach is happy for him to continue to be aggressive.

“Reed’s been at the forefront of us building our identity over a number of years,” Cameron Ciraldo said.

“We’ve worked really hard on building a work ethic and a connection and a competitiveness, and Reed’s at the forefront of it.

“We’re really happy with how he’s going. He’s worked really hard on his discipline over the past 12 months, and I think he’s come a long way.

“He probably had one play in that 80 minutes that he got slightly wrong, and I reckon there were a few other players that probably got a few things wrong during the day as well.”

Crichton echoed those sentiments when asked about the veteran dummy-half.

“Reed’s at a point of his career where he knows what his best game looks like,” the Bulldogs skipper said.

“I feel that the edge of us sticking up to other teams is very special in our group. I feel like in the past that we’ve let that stuff slide, so it’s good to see our boys sticking up for themselves.”

Sitili Tupouniua will miss this week’s game against the Knights after he was banned for a match. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

While Mahoney is free to play the Knights on Sunday, teammate Sitili Tupouniua will miss the game after he was sin binned and suspended for a match for a tackle on Braydon Trindall as the full-time siren sounded.

The decision has surprised his coach who has questioned whether the contact was illegal.

“I didn’t think it was high, I didn’t think it was that late and I didn’t think it was a shoulder charge, so trying to explain to Sitili how he could be better the next time was tough,” Ciraldo said.

“It is what it is. He’ll have a week out and he’ll get to work on some of the stuff he missed in pre-season.

“I can’t say too much about it, but it is confusing sometimes.”

Originally published as ‘It is confusing’: Bulldogs seething over star forward’s ban but accept high tackle crackdown is good for game