Suspend stagers calls get louder

IT is the ugly new trend that is embarrassing a game that prides itself on being the world’s toughest contact sport.

But former NRL referees boss Greg McCallum has backed Cooper Cronk’s call for the NRL to start suspending players caught faking injury.

Cronk is adamant the “culture of rugby league will change on one decision” if the NRL implements a hard line policy if a player is caught trying to milk a penalty.

McCallum reckons they should also be placed on report if a referee suspects any player of trying to gain an unfair advantage.

The calls follow another weekend of confusion and outrage over the inconsistency of the NRL’s stance on dangerous head contact, which is leading to more and more instances of players using gamesmanship to con the refs.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson led the charge on Saturday night when he slammed the match officials on the Gold Coast for almost encouraging players to lie down.

Referee Ben Cummins was overheard telling Joey Manu that Kevin Proctor was not sinbinned because Manu did not look injured and got to his feet.

“There is an easy solution to this staging,” Cronk said.

“The commission have shot from the hip in making swift changes quickly over the last 18 months. If someone stages, just suspend them.

“And I guarantee the culture of rugby league will change on one decision . . . You don’t want to be that person who gets caught faking.”

McCallum said he agreed with Cronk’s suggestion and added that the on-field ref could also place a player suspected of milking a penalty on report.

“I reckon that would send shudders through everybody else and then the match review committee can make the judgment based on medical advice or whatever they want to do,” he said.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley said there was already a rule for contrary conduct and detrimental conduct.

But Annesley warned it was dangerous territory questioning a player’s welfare.

“It is very, very difficult for anyone to make a claim that the player wasn’t, in fact, injured, or at least didn’t feel as though he was injured,” he said.

“There would have to be very clear evidence that a player had in fact faked an injury in order for the match review committee to be able to proceed with that charge.

“Is it possible that it could happen under our judiciary rules? Yes, it is.

“Is it a difficult charge to make out? It is a difficult charge, there is no question ... It sounds like a simple solution but in practice it is much more difficult.”