Legendary halfbacks Cooper Cronk and Andrew Johns have questioned whether or not the policing of creating contact with NRL kickers has gone too far.
The Cronulla Sharks have blew the North Queensland Cowboys off the park in a 44-6 thrashing at PointsBet Stadium on Thursday night time. It was all one-way visitors basically from the kicoff because the Sharks ran out to a 20-0 lead after 27 minutes.
But eyebrows had been raised over what’s seemingly the most recent crackdown from the NRL.
While the stress on common play kickers has lengthy been slowly phased out of the sport, it seems as if the dying knell has lastly been rung.
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At 6-0 after 9 minutes, it was clearly not going to be the Cowboys’ night time when Coen Hess was penalised for a late deal with on the Sharks’ Nicho Hynes.
Protecting the kickers has been an enormous subject of late however it could be arduous to argue the hit from Hess was late.
Speaking on Fox League, former Storm and Roosters premiership successful halfback Cooper Cronk stated that precedent made it nearly sure that it was going to be a penalty.
But he disagreed that it deserved to be penalised.
“For me, there’s not much in that at all,” Cronk stated. “It’s not late, it’s not high, he’s wrapped his arms around. The only thing is is that Hynes’ legs are off the ground.”
Dan Ginnane stated that though it was in slow-motion, “it still looked like it was in sync”.
Cronk stated that the referees had been exhibiting zero tolerance for any contact on the kicker.
“They’ve definitely changed their approach, the referees, on protecting the kickers,” he added. “Over the past couple of weekends, there’s been some soft penalties given away.”
Ginnane stated referee Gerard Sutton was a minimum of exhibiting consistency within the choice, regardless of calling it “ferocious” from the referee.
Cronk stated it was a difficulty that was going to should be erased from the sport.
“Coaches are going to have to change their mentality here for their players because a few years ago you couldn’t push, then they went to you having to wrap your arms. Now you basically can’t even touch them,” Cronk stated.
On Nine, Andrew Johns didn’t consider it was a penalty.
“Is this a new rule?” the eighth Immortal requested. “Last week, there was a challenge from Zac Lomax on Luke Keary … That is simultaneous.
“That’s not high, it’s not late.”
Mat Thompson stated: “He got him in the air though.”
“I don’t think so,” Johns replied. “I think the left foot was still on the ground of Hynes. That’s pretty much simultaneous. I think that’s a harsh penalty against Coen Hess.”
Former Dragons premiership winner Jamie Soward was fuming nevertheless.
“#NRL just make a blanket rule. You can’t tackle the kicker at all. There’s no incentive to put kick pressure on. That’s good old fashioned kick pressure which as a kicker you expect,” he tweeted.
“There’s dangerous contact with kickers when it’s late. That wasn’t late that was good pressure.”
Other followers known as it “pretty weak” and “bewildering” because it’s clear kickers can’t be challenged in 2023.
While the Sharks moved to 8-0 with the penalty aim, the facet led 20-6 at half-time.
The Sharks led in almost each aspect of the sport, holding 55 per cent of possession and making 250m greater than the Cowboys within the first 40.
But the guests hit again within the thirty third minute via Kyle Feldt to go to the sheds on the scoreboard.
The second half continued as the primary had gone because the Sharks ran in 4 extra tries to blow the Cowboys off the sector.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au