.png)
7 months ago
36
NRL fans have questioned the consistency of the Match Review Committee after Dolphins utility Anthony Milford and Melbourne Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen had contrasting fortunes following tackles gone wrong.
Milford was given a chance to redeem himself at first grade level against his old club the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night, subbed into the match after an injury to fullback Hamiso Tabui-Fidow.
However it quickly became a night to forget, with the Dolphins getting whacked 28-14 by their crosstown rivals and Milford placed on report for an ugly tackle on Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh.
The MRC has come down hard on the 2015 grand finalist, with Milford facing a two-game ban for dangerous conduct after his 37th minute hit was classified as a Grade 2 offence.
He faces a two-game ban with an early guilty plea increasing to three games should he fight the charge and be found guilty at the panel.
Milford had a night to forget as the Dolphins were thumped by crosstown rivals Brisbane Broncos and he was placed on report for tackling Reece Walsh without the ball
Milford's suspension heaps pain on the Dolphins who are already looking at life without injured fullback Hamiso Tabui-Fidow for the immediate future
Most NRL fans slammed Milford for the tackle, labelling it a 'dog shot' and questioning why he wasn't sinbinned as well.
'Should have been 10 in the bin and reported,' one fan posted.
'Tackling someone who was never getting the ball, it was clear he was only trying to illegally rough up the opposition's star player. The ball was a mile away, excessive force. Pretty terrible stuff,' added another.
'That was silly. Reece was nowhere near the ball. Milf lost the plot.' posted another.
However Storm fullback Papenhuyzen has escaped with just a fine despite being charged for a hip drop tackle on Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr.
The incident went unpenalised on the field and Papenhuyzen was hit with a $750 fine by the MRC for his actions.
'Ryan Papenhuyzen got this very, very wrong on Josh Addo-Carr,' Fox League analyst Yvonne Sampson said after the match.
Mick Ennis responded: 'It's so hard, he's coming across, there's no malice in that at all.
Many NRL fans have questioned why Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen was given such a lenient penalty given the league is cracking down on hip drop tackles
It was a mixed night for Papenhuyzen, who was sinbinned for a professional foul in an unrelated incident
'He's trying to save the try there because had Addo-Carr got on his outside (he would have scored). He just loses his legs, lands on the back of his leg, it's a hip-drop.'
And fans were left shocked by the leniency of the punishment, especially with the NRL cracking down on hip drop tackles.
'Wonder what the punishment would have been if it was Victor Radley? Didn't even get 10 in the bin. The inconsistency of the ref, the bunker and the judiciary is next level,' one NRL fan asked.
'So hip drop tackle allowed if you are an NRL star. NRL does not care about player welfare at all,' fumed another supporter.
'LOL but [Wests Tigers half] Lachie Galvin gets 2 weeks as a rookie. Make it make sense,' added another.
Storm teammates Reimis Smith (Careless High Tackle) and Alec MacDonald (Dangerous Contact) are also facing fines.
Bulldog Sam Hughes was charged with Grade 1 Dangerous Contact and is facing an $1800 fine for a second offence.
Broncos forward Jordan Riki has been charged with a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle offence and will be fined $1000 should he enter an early guilty plea. The fine increases to $1500 should he fight the charge and be unsuccessful.
English (US)