Pink Panther
Juniors
- Messages
- 301
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Phil Gould has taken aim at the match review committee, claiming the suspension handed down to Panthers star Nathan Cleary was 'too long'.
The 24-year-old was sent off for a dangerous throw on Dylan Brown, with his hand between the legs and driving motion leading to a grade three charge and five games on the sidelines.
Cleary took full responsibility for the tackle, while his father and Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said he didn't have any problems with the send-off or subsequent ban.
But according to former Panthers boss Gould, the suspensions across the game are too harsh for accidental incidents.
"I think the suspensions are too long overall with most offences," he said on 100% Footy.
"I don't think we need good players out of the game for six weeks to remind them that that's not what you do.
"That's just an error of judgement. I know this Penrith tackling technique very well, he's probably thinking his other two players would support that player a little better than they did. They pulled away from it and he found himself in an awkward position.
"Does Nathan Cleary need six weeks away from the game to learn his lesson that that's the wrong tackle to make? He knew it six seconds after he did it that it was wrong.
"They probably want to send a message to the rest of the competition, they want it to look like the star players don't get special treatment."