Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon admits second-rower Teig Wilton “got it wrong” in his ugly tackle on Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses in round two.
But the rookie mentor insists the Sharks never intended to injure Moses and explained the thinking behind the extreme pressure his troops placed on the Eels playmaker on Saturday.
Wilton was reported after taking out the legs of Moses as the one-time NSW Blues representative kicked the footy in the 54th minute.
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The tackle put Moses in a dangerous position high in the air and the 27-year-old snapped, roughing him up as players from both sides raced in.
Fitzgibbon addressed the controversial tackle on the latest episode of Nine’s 100% Footy, after securing his first win as Sharks coach in an 18-16 victory.
“It wouldn’t have mattered if it was Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown, Reed Mahoney. Whoever was going to kick the ball we wanted to put maximum pressure on the kickers and hopefully get them to have a poor kick. We got it wrong on that occasion with Teig Wilton. He got his timing wrong,” Fitzgibbon said.
“But our intent was definitely not to take Mitchell out of the game; it was just to put him under pressure.
“He’s such a wonderful player and such an important part of their team and their primary kicker. So, we obviously didn’t want to give, particularly in the first half down their end, Mitchell Moses a free reign with his kicking game, because it would be a long afternoon for us.”
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Wilton will miss Cronulla’s third-round fixture after accepting a one-game ban dealt out by the match review committee.
The Sharks’ targeting of Moses left him hobbling around the field and angered the Eels.
Fitzgibbon said his players must improve at pressuring the kicker in a safe way.
“You can’t attack the legs of the kicker. It’s pretty clear. It shouldn’t be in the game and on that occasion we got that one wrong,” Fitzgibbon said.
“We need to get better at that, we need to be able to pressure the kicker safely.
“It’s not part of the game. I don’t think anyone wants to see that.
“You run a risk of losing your own players if you go out there to maim people, so that wasn’t the case.”
The Sharks will next meet the Dragons in Wollongong on Thursday night.
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