FRUSTRATED Storm coach Craig Bellamy yesterday responded to criticism of his side's tackling techniques by claiming a similar ploy was responsible for Billy Slater's knee injury and questioning whether grand final opponents Manly were behind a campaign to destabilise the minor premiers.
While Slater is expected to play on Sunday night, he failed to complete Melbourne's first field session since last weekend's spiteful encounter with Parramatta, and Bellamy later blamed the fullback's medial ligament strain on a PJ Marsh leg pull.
The 40th-minute incident, that led to Slater later hobbling from the field, was called "unnecessary" by the NRL's match review committee but like the controversial Brett White tackle on Eels captain Nathan Cayless it did not warrant further action.
Cayless suffered a torn pectoral muscle when White wrenched his arm trying to "turtle" him on the ground, sparking allegations that the Storm - alleged pioneers of the "grapple" tackle and "crusher" had invented a new manoeuvre, dubbed the "ripper".
But Bellamy said White's actions were no different to those of Marsh, who after tackling Slater grabbed at his bandaged right leg and yanked his ankle around in an awkward position.
"That looks quite deliberate and that's how Billy got injured. He could miss the grand final because of that," Bellamy said. "We knew that had happened on Sunday night but we didn't say anything about it.
"We've been copping it over the wrestling and the White incident
that incident [involving Slater], was that called for? We're sorry that Nathan got hurt
but that's how Billy got hurt. We prefer to leave things on the field but we copped about three days of this and nobody noticed what happened [to Slater].
