Andrew Johns put his microphone down for the ultimate 23 minutes of 9’s protection of the Wests Tigers’ upset win over the Sharks on Sunday, revealing on Freddy and The Eighth on Monday evening that he was appearing in protest following a sin bin blitz to police excessive contact throughout spherical eight.
Johns was mute for the thrilling golden level recreation’s conclusion, after the call to sin bin Fonua Pole for a high shot that was initially missed by the on-field officers however was pulled up by the Bunker a number of performs later.
“Simply one other sooky pants second,” Johns joked.
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“Oh, it was simply irritating. It was doing my head in. I simply wished to throw the microphone. So I left it as much as (co-commentators) Freddy (Brad Fittler) and The Tank (Mat Thompson), they unloaded.”
Andrew Johns discusses the Bunker’s use of slow-motion replays. 9
Johns went on to applaud the NRL for recognising that the Bunker was having an excessive amount of affect and making a change to cease the video evaluate official for leaping in to intervene a number of performs after a excessive sort out except it was deemed to be a critical incident.
That change can be applied for Magic Spherical, in accordance with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, who spoke on 2GB on Monday afternoon, then once more as a guest on Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday night.
Abdo informed 2GB that the NRL desires to see the Bunker solely intervene for “critical acts of foul play” after 18 sin bins throughout spherical eight.
“I believe the Bunker, issues like when two gamers go as much as catch a ball, simply present it in actual time, take a look at it twice,” Johns mentioned on Freddy and the Eighth, calling for the NRL to keep away from utilizing slow-motion replays to make choices.
“If the (ball) touches their finger and goes into one other participant, who cares? Simply present it in actual time. Identical as when a ball’s bouncing from a grubber kick, if somebody dives on the ball simply present it in actual time.
“I perceive when the ball is close to the lifeless ball line, you should utilize tremendous gradual movement there however tremendous gradual mo, it paints a distinct image.
“Each time the ball goes into the air, it appears like we’re searching for a cause to not give the attempt, simply present it in actual time. If it seems like a attempt, it is a attempt.”
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As for the pinnacle excessive contact, Johns had beforehand expressed his frustration on the Sunday Footy Show, describing the scenario as “farcical”.
Fittler, in the meantime, believes there must be a correction in who will get protected throughout a tackling contest.
“About 60 per cent of individuals getting taken off the sector is as a result of they’re tackling, so nearly all of these are individuals who had been tackling so it tells you we’re defending the flawed individual and I believe what’s occurred is that they’ve simply gone into overdrive on the pinnacle contact stuff,” he mentioned on Freddy and The Eighth.
“I do not know whether or not it is from paranoia about being sued sooner or later but it surely simply went approach too far during the last two weekends.
“Three weeks in the past, Andrew and Graham Annesley actually came out and spoke about how they missed a couple. Jarome Luai truly ended up getting a few weeks sidelined they usually missed that through the recreation.
Jarome Luai’s excessive shot. Fox League
“There was three individuals throughout that week and from there, there was only a response and that is what occurs in our recreation rather a lot, there’s only a response by criticism that we could have missed one thing however on the finish of the day, transfer on.”
On Monday evening, Abdo was additionally quizzed by 9’s 100% Footy panel over the drama from the weekend.
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When it was put to Abdo by Paul Gallen that accidents occur, the NRL boss claimed sure golf equipment are managing excessive contact higher than others.
“The necessary factor right here is the danger of harm to the participant, not whether or not or not they get an harm however what’s that motion by way of the danger of the harm,” he mentioned.
“For many years it has been unlawful to hit gamers within the head and to have excessive tackles and we have been sin binning and sending gamers off for many years.
“What we’re attempting to get proper now’s refining what that bar is and getting that steadiness proper and what we’re seeing is a few gamers adapting their recreation very successfully.
“A few of the groups haven’t have a sin bin for a head excessive shot in eight rounds. We have had some groups solely give away three penalties for head excessive tackles, some groups as excessive as 19. It reveals groups are in a position to adapt to this and perceive the usual that is accepted.”
