Crocker confident he'll avoid judiciary
Saturday, August 18, 2007
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Melbourne bad boy Michael Crocker is confident he won't have to front the NRL judiciary despite being placed on report for an alleged high shot in his side's thrilling win over Parramatta on Friday night.
Playing his first match since undergoing shoulder surgery three months ago, Crocker was reported by referee Tony Archer for his 43rd minute tackle on Eels prop Fuifui Moimoi.
Eels centre Timana Tahu also faces a nervous wait over the weekend after being placed on report for an alleged high tackle on Storm fullback Billy Slater in the 25th minute.
Slater was left dazed by the knock, less than three months after having several plates inserted in his face for a fractured eye socket.
Parramatta hooker PJ Marsh could also be in trouble for a high shot on Storm prop Ben Cross.
Veteran backrower Crocker has been charged 10 times since 2001, his most serious charge coming last year when he was outed for nine weeks for a dangerous throw (grade four) on South Sydney's Shane Rigon.
However Crocker said after the match he didn't think there was any malice in the tackle and he hoped it would be viewed in the same light as the recent case involving Bulldogs skipper Andrew Ryan.
The Bulldogs successfully argued St George Illawarra prop Jason Ryles was falling due to a low tackle by teammate Jarrad Hickey when Ryan connected.
"I didn't really have too much control of where I was hitting him but I wasn't aiming high and he was falling into it," Crocker said.
"The way I saw it, it was pretty much the same as Andrew Ryan's the other week where I think Dallas (Johnson) may have chopped him on the legs and he was falling down."
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy also thought Crocker was only guilty of being "clumsy" in the 14-10 win.
"At the end of the day the guy was falling into the tackle," Bellamy said.
"I would describe it as probably a little bit clumsy so I don't think he's got a whole heap to worry about."
Crocker didn't feel he was a victim of his own poor judiciary record and had been especially singled out by referees.
"That's his job each week, if there's a high shot he's got to put it on report so he's done the right thing ... we'll see how it plays out," Crocker said.
"I'm not that disappointed, it's just one of those things. I'm confident he was falling and I didn't have too much control over it."
Crocker looked in good touch for the Storm, and brought some added sting which was needed given the physicality of the match.
"I felt good, it was good to get out there and play in a good game like that.
"The last few weeks there's been talk about teams getting under our skin and it's just the way we handle it now.
"I thought we kept our composure and didn't get into any niggle."
Source: AAP
