متاجر «هارودز» تعتذر بشأن اتهامات اعتداء جنسي موجهة لمالكها السابق
Tupou accepts one-week ban over high shot
Daniel Tupou avoided the sin bin despite this high tackle.
Veteran winger Daniel Tupou will miss the Roosters game against the Bulldogs this Saturday, after being charged with a grade two careless high tackle.
A couple of hours after the charge sheet was announced, the 30-year-old put in an early guilty plea, and will be suspended for one week.
Tupou collared opposing winger Mikaele Ravalawa as the latter made a break during the second half, but was only penalised, rather than sin binned.
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.”
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.
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“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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