Calls for return of block busters
GOLD Coast fan favourite Anthony Don has called on the NRL to crack down on blocking tactics that are robbing the game of spectacular mid-air contests for the ball.
The in-form winger is an aerial specialist, as shown in his starring role against Melbourne last month when his series of tap-backs from crossfield kicks helped the Titans to a memorable victory.
But with rivals more aware of the Titans’ ploy to kick for Don, the Grafton product has been frequently impeded in his pursuit of the ball lately – especially noticeable in the side’s Round 11 loss to Manly.
Former leading referee Bill Harrigan is fed up with the way unpunished blocking has become “chronic” and Don has now joined the call for a crackdown ahead of the Titans-Warriors clash tomorrow.
“Some centres are just blocking the winger no matter what and there’s no one getting called for a penalty,” Don told the Bulletin.
“There’s a few rare penalties but it is definitely something I think needs looking at, just to continue the mid-air collisions and catches in the air; it is something the fans love to see.
“I can see why teams defensively are trying to block the opposition winger but that is just part of the game now so I’d like to see it reffed a little bit harsher but I’m not in any position to tell the refs what to do.”
Don, who did not hide from the fact the Titans also work on restricting opposition kick chasers from contests, said the onus was on himself to find a way through the blockers.
“I’ve just got to try to work out a way to overcome that and still get a catch,” he said.
Harrigan, however, said the NRL can – and should – resolve the matter with a simple fix: Start penalising again.
“Any listeners who listen to the Triple M call would have heard myself and Wendell Sailor almost on a weekly basis express our disappointment that there are no penalties for players running players off the line or blocking players intentionally to stop them from entering into a contest,” he said.
“The guy that runs and stands in front of his fullback and gets there early and stands there and blocks, that’s fine because he has got there early.
“The ones that bug us are the guy that’s running and another player ... runs across his line or grabs him or is running alongside him and starts pushing him out of the way.
“You can shoulder anyone out of the way when you are both going for the ball. I’ve seen two or three penalties this year, which I applaud, but nowhere near enough.”