taxidriver
Coach
- Messages
- 15,046
BLUES halfback Mitchell Pearce has promised to exact revenge for Billy Slater's blatant elbow to his face in Origin II, declaring: "Hopefully I'll get him back."
The cheap shot went unpunished by officials, but has all but guaranteed a brutal decider at ANZ Stadium on July 17.
Slater's elbow continues an unsavoury rap sheet for the fullback, who has been accused of kneeing opponents, high tackles, jump kicks and late hits over the years.
Earlier this season, Slater launched what appeared to be a karate kick at young Bulldogs prop Dave Klemmer as the Storm fullback fielded a bomb.
As well as onfield violence, Slater is a world-class sledger.
He famously had to apologise to Newcastle hard man Cory Paterson during the 2010 season. Slater targeted Paterson - who had waged a long battle with depression - with this grubby verbal attack: "Go and have a cry in your room."
The Maroons No.1 was up to his usual standard during Origin II, telling Pearce after the elbow: "One-all c ... "
Despite being placed on report, he was neither sin-binned nor charged because the match review committee deemed the contact "accidental".
Wearing a shiner and four stitches as he left the ground, Pearce confirmed that Slater had also sledged him straight after connecting with the elbow
"That's the ruling, so hopefully in game three if we elbow someone back it's play-on," Pearce said. "I don't think he is (a dirty player) at all but I don't think he likes getting hit hard.
"That's what he said, so I'll have to make 2-1 in the last game. He got me on the ground when I was not looking. Hopefully I'll get him back.
"He (Slater) is a competitor and a great player. Things like that happen."
Blues skipper Paul Gallen said: "It certainly wasn't accidental. Let's not be silly."
Pearce was nonplussed about Slater escaping suspension, but hoped a precedent had been set for future incidents.
"That's how it is. I didn't think there was much in it," he said. "If that's fair play it has to go both ways.
"There were a lot of calls tonight with refs and momentum swings.
"If we go back to game three, it has to go the same way."
NSW coach Laurie Daley was shocked Slater avoided being charged, saying: "I was surprised at Billy's reaction, saying it was one-all. The match review panel obviously thought it was accidental.
"If it was accidental, I don't know why you would be jumping up and saying 'one-all'. If that's what it is, that's what it is. We thought it would have been an offence but obviously it's not. They are the rules."
Asked if Slater was a dirty player, Daley said: "Other people might think or suggest that but he is someone we respect."
Asked if the decision would give NSW more scope for aggression in game three, Daley said: "I would like to think so.
"Everyone knows what the boundaries are.
"They set some hard and fast rules, which I didn't think they abided by, but that's Origin."
Pearce stressed Slater would not have planned the elbow.
"I don't think he would have gone out there and thought he would elbow me," Pearce said.
"But I have nothing against the bloke. He is a great player who has done a lot more in the game than I have.
"He is one of the true greats. But pretty much every player had some niggle at one point."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...illy-slater/story-fni3fqyo-1226671080334#fast
The cheap shot went unpunished by officials, but has all but guaranteed a brutal decider at ANZ Stadium on July 17.
Slater's elbow continues an unsavoury rap sheet for the fullback, who has been accused of kneeing opponents, high tackles, jump kicks and late hits over the years.
Earlier this season, Slater launched what appeared to be a karate kick at young Bulldogs prop Dave Klemmer as the Storm fullback fielded a bomb.
As well as onfield violence, Slater is a world-class sledger.
He famously had to apologise to Newcastle hard man Cory Paterson during the 2010 season. Slater targeted Paterson - who had waged a long battle with depression - with this grubby verbal attack: "Go and have a cry in your room."
The Maroons No.1 was up to his usual standard during Origin II, telling Pearce after the elbow: "One-all c ... "
Despite being placed on report, he was neither sin-binned nor charged because the match review committee deemed the contact "accidental".
Wearing a shiner and four stitches as he left the ground, Pearce confirmed that Slater had also sledged him straight after connecting with the elbow
"That's the ruling, so hopefully in game three if we elbow someone back it's play-on," Pearce said. "I don't think he is (a dirty player) at all but I don't think he likes getting hit hard.
"That's what he said, so I'll have to make 2-1 in the last game. He got me on the ground when I was not looking. Hopefully I'll get him back.
"He (Slater) is a competitor and a great player. Things like that happen."
Blues skipper Paul Gallen said: "It certainly wasn't accidental. Let's not be silly."
Pearce was nonplussed about Slater escaping suspension, but hoped a precedent had been set for future incidents.
"That's how it is. I didn't think there was much in it," he said. "If that's fair play it has to go both ways.
"There were a lot of calls tonight with refs and momentum swings.
"If we go back to game three, it has to go the same way."
NSW coach Laurie Daley was shocked Slater avoided being charged, saying: "I was surprised at Billy's reaction, saying it was one-all. The match review panel obviously thought it was accidental.
"If it was accidental, I don't know why you would be jumping up and saying 'one-all'. If that's what it is, that's what it is. We thought it would have been an offence but obviously it's not. They are the rules."
Asked if Slater was a dirty player, Daley said: "Other people might think or suggest that but he is someone we respect."
Asked if the decision would give NSW more scope for aggression in game three, Daley said: "I would like to think so.
"Everyone knows what the boundaries are.
"They set some hard and fast rules, which I didn't think they abided by, but that's Origin."
Pearce stressed Slater would not have planned the elbow.
"I don't think he would have gone out there and thought he would elbow me," Pearce said.
"But I have nothing against the bloke. He is a great player who has done a lot more in the game than I have.
"He is one of the true greats. But pretty much every player had some niggle at one point."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...illy-slater/story-fni3fqyo-1226671080334#fast
