Storm’s King sent straight to judiciary
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AAP+ on 28/09/2020 at 1:28 pm
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NRL News
Melbourne have a judiciary drama on the eve of the finals with Max King referred straight to the panel for his hip-drop tackle on Blake Lawrie.
King was hit with a dangerous contact charge for his move on the St George Illawarra forward, with the NRL deeming it too serious to be given a grading.
Fellow forward Tui Kamikamica is also facing up to two games on the sideline for a late hit on Dragons five-eighth Jayden Sullivan.
However an ankle injury is likely to rule Kamikamica out of Saturday night’s preliminary final against Parramatta and he could return for the next game with an early guilty plea.
For King though, the situation is far more serious.
The Melbourne bench forward fell on the legs of Lawrie in a tackle, briefly forcing him from the field.
The tackle has increased in incidence this year, forcing the NRL to launch a crackdown earlier in the season.
King’s incident, however, is the first viewed as serious enough to be sent straight to the panel without the option of an early guilty plea.
If the 23-year-old is found guilty he would be looking at anything beyond three weeks, which is the base penalty for a grade-three offence.
The incident also sparked controversy off the field, with former Dally M winner Greg Alexander claiming there was “intent to injure” on Fox League’s commentary.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy later claimed that was “ridiculous”, insisting no player in the NRL would go out to purposefully hurt a rival.
It comes as the Storm have previously grown frustrated of question marks being asked over their tackling techniques almost routinely late in the season.
“There is no doubt that tackle needs to be eradicated. But Melbourne don’t go out and intentionally try to cause or injure another player,” Storm legend Cooper Cronk said.
“There are wrestling dossiers that come out this time every year on behalf of the Melbourne Storm.
“But the refereeing community know exactly how to do a game.
“No matter what gets said between you and I or the coaches each week, the referees know exactly what the rules are.
“And if you break it you get in trouble.”
https://www.sportsnews.com.au/nrl/storms-king-sent-straight-to-judiciary/545720