- Football fans shocked after Stephen Crichton was not punished
- The Bulldogs captain used his shoulder in a brutal tackle against the Warriors
- Left-hander Roger Tuivasa-Sheck suffered a concussion and was later ruled out for the rest of the season.
- Several Sea Eagles players were disciplined for similar offences on Thursday.
Fed-up football fans and former greats such as Panthers legend Mark Geyer have accused the NRL of double standards after a brutal high kick by Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton went unpunished.
The New South Wales Origin centre was suspended for one match by the NRL’s match review committee but was surprisingly allowed to remain on the field for a blatant high kick on Friday.
This comes after three Sea Eagles players were suspended during a shock loss to the Tigers on Thursday at Leichhardt Oval.
On Friday night in Auckland, Crichton’s shoulder collided with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s head early in the second half, with many supporters immediately assuming the Samoan international would be handed a 10-minute ban following the brutal contact.
Referee Wyatt Raymond then shocked fans — and Warriors players — after declaring on the field that there was a “high level of mitigation in the tackle.”
This happened despite Tuivasa-Sheck being visibly shaken after the collision.
The centre was ruled out of the game following a category one HIA, which also meant his season came to a premature end due to the NRL’s concussion protocols.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster criticized the decision at his postgame news conference, saying the lack of consistency from the game’s referees was a concern.
“I have a hard time understanding how a shoulder can hit Roger’s head and the bunker can (dictate how they did) at a critical moment in the match,” he said.
Fed-up football fans have accused the NRL of double standards after a brutal high kick by Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton (pictured) on Friday night went unpunished.
Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck suffered a visible concussion after the collision and will not play again this season.
“We have to protect our players and I don’t see any consistency in that regard.”
In X, Panthers legend Mark Geyer explained how the Sea Eagles were severely penalized for similar infractions and Martin Lang, former Queensland Origin member He felt that Crichton should have been expelled.
Football fans also took to social media to express their frustration.
“Stephen Crichton is fast becoming the NRL’s wonderkid. It’s crazy he’s still on the field,” posted one.
Another said: “Decision making is a lottery.”
A third said: ‘How the hell has Crichton not been sacked?! What a joke! Because he is the protected species, the glory boy of the NRL.
‘This arbitration is at its lowest point.’
Crichton was charged with reckless high tackling, which carries a one-game suspension if he pleads guilty and two games if he contests the charge and loses.
The Bulldogs have yet to announce whether they will accept the ban or risk facing the NRL’s judicial system.