JT slams ‘ dog shots’
THE NRL world has rallied behind Johnathan Thurston’s demand for late “dog shots” to be stamped out after the Cowboys star was illegally hit for the second straight week.
Thurston was floored by a late shoulder charge by Jack Gosiewski in Thursday’s vital win over Manly, and the Sea Eagles forward is facing a 1- 2 game ban.
It came just five days after Storm forward Sam Kasiano was banned for a week after crashing into an oblivious Thurston’s back long after he had passed the ball.
Thurston didn’t mince his words when asked his thoughts on the incident after the win at Lottoland. “It s--- s me,” he said. “It’s not part of our team, the way we go about our business.
“I’m sure the match review committee will deal with it but what’s it going to take, for me to be out for three or four weeks with a broken rib for them to stamp down on it?
“There’s a difference where you take it into the line and are trying to create space and you get whacked.
“I can take that, ( but) when I’ve passed the ball and I’m relaxed ( is different). It’s not just halfbacks, it’s front rowers too when they’re playing a particular type of shape.
“Any player who gets hit late can get whiplash, it can be damaging.”
Thurston’s stance was backed by Cowboys coach Paul Green, who is a member of the NRL’s competition committee.
“They’ve spoken about using the sin bin for foul play, it’s been spoken about,” Green said.
“As JT said it’s when you’ve passed the ball and you’re relaxed ( where it’s an issue), usually they’re getting hit when they can’t see them coming.
“They’re the dangerous ones and the ones we need to stamp out, otherwise someone will get seriously injured.”
Penrith and NSW Blues stars James Maloney and Reagan Campbell- Gillard agreed the practice should be rubbed out of the game.
“I saw it on replay and it was pretty ordinary on JT, it was very late,” Maloney said.
“It’s a hard thing, they’re trying to put pressure on ball players but you have to draw a line on where it’s acceptable or not.
“They’re sin binning for a lot of things these days, so there’s no reason why they can’t for that.” Campbell- Gillard said defenders have a duty of care to abort tackles once an attacker has got rid of the ball.
“As a person putting on pressure you’re obliged to, but do it in a safe manner,” Campbell- Gillard said.
“You don’t want to do anything dangerous and if they’ve kicked the ball you should be pulling out, and not doing dog shots.”