‘Would have got two years in jail’: Dragons coach fumes over ‘black and white’ high shot

Dragons coach Anthony Griffin was fuming after Roosters winger Daniel Tupou wasn’t sent to the sin bin or worse for his high shot.

Daniel Tupou and Anthony Griffin.

Dragons coach Anthony Griffin was fuming that Roosters winger Daniel Tupou wasn’t sent to the sin bin or worse for his high shot on Mikaele Ravalawa in his side’s ANZAC day victory.

Tupou clotheslined Ravalawa after a break from the Dragons winger and was penalised and placed on report, but remarkably no further action was taken.

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Griffin also took issue with a tackle on Jaydn Su’A, who will be sent for scans on an injured ankle, but he was shocked Tupou stayed on the field given the NRL’s crackdown on high shots.

“Yeah I have got an issue with the Jaydn Su’A tackle,” Griffin said.

“I’ve got more of an issue with the other one from Tupou.

“You would have got two years in jail at Magic Round last year for that.

“I’m serious. He was dropped back on last play and had 30 metres to decide where to tackle him.

“It was direct contact to the head. I don’t understand the rules.

“He should have at least been in the sin bin.”

Dragons skipper Ben Hunt asked referee Adam Gee why no further action was taken against Tupou.

“I went over and asked and they just said they cleared it upstairs and there is not much I can do about it,” Hunt said.

Dragons coach Anthony Griffin. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Griffin took issue with the lack of consistency from the bunker and referees, which is costing some teams while others get away with it.

“I do feel (frustrated with the inconsistency),” Griffin said.

“I’m not here to bag anyone and it is not the story of the night.

‘But it is just black and white with what has been happening. It is not even a question.

“I feel for everyone. I feel for the players. I feel for the coaches because if you are not going to put that in the bin for some of the things that have been in the bin over the last four or five weeks, I don’t know where we go now.”

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said on radio after the match it should have been a sin bin.

“I was very surprised it wasn’t a sin bin,” he told 2GB.

“I think it should have been.”

Griffin was asked about his comments.

“I agree with him,” he said.

“It is frustrating for us and for everyone watching on the TV.”

Originally published as ‘Would have got two years in jail’: Dragons coach fumes over ‘black and white’ high shot