Canterbury Bulldogs enforcer David Klemmer to miss round one after dangerous contact downgrading

BULLDOGS firebrand David Klemmer was relieved to leave the NRL judiciary with just the one-match suspension for his ugly torpedo tackle on Melbourne’s Kenny Bromwich.

David Klemmer at NRL judiciary. Picture Craig Greenhill

DAVID Klemmer was relieved to leave the NRL judiciary with just the one-match suspension for his ugly torpedo tackle on Melbourne’s Kenny Bromwich.

While Storm fans will be blowing up about the outcome this morning, the Bulldogs Army will take comfort in the fact their giant representative enforcer will only miss next Friday’s opener against Manly.

Klemmer was found guilty of the dangerous contact charge and momentarily looking at three matches on the sidelines.

David Klemmer at NRL judiciary with coach Des Hasler. Picture: Craig Greenhill

But his lawyer Nick Ghabar quickly challenged the grading, with the panel of Mal Cochrane, Chris McKenna and Royce Ayliffe downgrading the charge to a grade one, which meant just the one-game suspension.

Klemmer was fired up on the weekend during the 20-0 trial win, and his tackle on Bromwich sparked a melee involving almost all 26 players in the middle of Belmore.

There were suggestions Klemmer was so outraged by an earlier tackle on one of his teammates, he was overheard threatening to break someone’s legs. When asked about those claims on Wednesday night, Klemmer said it was a ‘’false allegation’’.

“I’m pretty relieved with the result, but it’s still disappointing I can’t be out there with the boys for round one,’’ Klemmer said.

“It’s still a good result, and I won’t miss too many games. I’ll learn from my actions.

‘’I was trying to make a tackle, those tackles sometimes accidentally happen in rugby league, and I’ll cop the consequences at the moment.’’

Judiciary counsel Peter McGrath said ‘’the footage speaks for itself’’, with Klemmer seen on two camera angles _ one provided by the ABC, the other from NRL Films _ launching his giant frame towards Bromwich, and showing ‘’no attempt to make a tackle using his arms’’.

David Klemmer in action for the Bulldogs. Picture: Gregg Porteous

McGrath also described the risk of danger as ‘’extreme’’, and had the contact been slightly lower or higher, the consequences for Bromwich could have been ‘’catastrophic’’.

Ghabar said the limited vision made it tough to prove Klemmer’s shoulders or arms had made contact with Bromwich’s legs. He said it looked more like Klemmer’s back clashing with Bromwich’s ‘’hip, or the top of the buttock’’.

Ghabar said Klemmer had slipped, and ‘’what he does is more self preservation, and not an attempt to take out the legs’’.

Klemmer was joined by coach Des Hasler, whose past four trips to the judiciary have now resulted in two downgrades and one not guilty finding.

David Klemmer at the NRL judiciary.

While Hasler would have loved the charge thrown out altogether, he’ll be happy to have Klemmer back on deck for the round-two clash against Penrith.

He’s likely to be already without another representative, Brett Morris, for the trip to his old Brookvale Oval stomping ground on the northern beaches in eight days time.

The sight of Bromwich hitting the deck was not pretty, and McGrath said Klemmer deserved to be slapped with a grade two charge _ and not a grade one _ because ‘’the contact was definitely avoidable and considerably late’’.

Ghabar referred to three tackles that were deemed grade one _ Agnatius Paasi’s effort on Brett Morris in round 23 last year, Pauli Pauli’s effort on Jamie Soward in round 12, and Junior Paulo’s attempt on Michael Gordon in 2014 _ and argued Klemmer’s effort was no worse.

Originally published as Canterbury Bulldogs enforcer David Klemmer to miss round one after dangerous contact downgrading