Veteran winger Daniel Tupou is set to miss the Roosters game against the Bulldogs this Saturday, after being charged with a grade two careless high tackle.
Tupou collared opposing winger Mikaele Ravalawa as the latter made a break during the second half, but was only penalised, rather than sin binned.
He faces a week off with an early guilty plea, or two if he fights it and loses.
The Dragons went on to win by two points in an Anzac Day classic, but the call to leave Tupou on the field was the main talking point afterwards.
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It was a decision that incensed a fair chunk of fans, with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo weighing in later and saying that Tupou should have been marched for ten minutes.
“From where I was sitting, to me, it was a sin bin,” he said on WWOS radio.
“Direct contact on the head. We’ll see what the review covers tomorrow, but I was very surprised it wasn’t a sin bin. I think it should have been.”
https://omny.fm/shows/wide-world-of-sports/nrl-ceo-says-tupou-high-tackle-should-have-been-a
Referee Adam Gee was heard saying to The Bunker at the time that “I don’t believe it’s as bad as it looks,” an opinion that was eventually shared by the review official.
But Dragons coach Anthony Griffin was furious afterwards, putting a new twist on a classic rugby league catchphrase.
“You would have got two years in jail at Magic Round last year for that,” Griffin said, referencing the NRL’s 2021 crackdown on high contact.
“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.”
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