NRL doubles down on controversial Grant kick-pressure sanction
By Billie Eder
The NRL has doubled down on a controversial decision to send Harry Grant to the sin bin on Saturday night, with the match review committee slapping him with a $1000 fine for the incident.
Referee Grant Atkins sent the Melbourne Hooker to the bin just before half-time, for clipping the leg of Cronulla five-eighth Daniel Atkinson while trying to pressure a kick.
Grant was visibly surprised by the decision, and said after the game he was a trying to avoid dangerous contact.
“I was a bit shocked. I just had no intention of going in with any intent to hurt Atko. I just went to put kick pressure on, which is a big part of the game,” Grant said.
“If you look, I was going to put kick pressure on and turned away to take myself away from him to not make any contact. He’s obviously sort of jumped, kick momentum took him forward, and brushed his leg.”
Despite the incident, Grant said that kick pressure is a “big part of the game” which he doesn’t want taken away.
“There are a lot of players out there that work really hard in the game, and kick pressure is really important in the game. You can’t lose it,” he said.
It proved to be a costly decision, with Cronulla prop Oregon Kaufusi scoring in the next set. The Sharks went on to win 25-18, with a try and a field goal the difference, and cemented their spot at the top of the ladder.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy was frustrated with the decision.
Referee Grant Atkins sends Harry Grant to the sin bin.Credit: NRL Images
“You obviously can’t bump their legs, so we’ll go in over the top and wrap them up, just hope we don’t hit them late,” Bellamy said.
“Harry wasn’t even looking. At the end of the day I suppose he’s got to take that responsibility, and ok, look where you’re going and try and avoid making contact there, but at the end of the day that’s out of my control.”
Bellamy said it set a new benchmark for what qualifies a sin bin.
Isaiah Papali’i scored a double for the Tigers on Saturday.Credit: Getty
“With any rules, all we’ve got is consistency so that’s the mark now,” he said. “You touch his leg, doesn’t matter how hard, and you go to the bin.”
Tigers lock Isaiah Papali’i was also sanctioned by the match review committee for tripping Leo Thompson in the Tigers 20-14 loss to the Knights on Saturday.
Papali’i is facing a one-game suspension for the trip, which occurred in the 21st minute of the game.
Newcastle prop Daniel Saifiti has also been handed a one-match ban from that game, for a careless high tackle on Jake Simpkin.
Both Papali’i and Saifiti risk having their bans upgraded to two-matches if they decide to test their fate at the judiciary on Tuesday night.
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