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Melbourne have been handed a $10,000 breach notice by the NRL for appearing to having play stopped for a trainer to attend to a player with a cramp.
The Storm were handed the breach notice on Tuesday afternoon, after the NRL had earlier suggested it appeared to be a tactical play by the club.
The incident occurred at a crucial point of Saturday’s win over Parramatta, with Suliasi Vunivalu down in back play and the Eels 30 metres on attack.
It came as Parramatta attempted to launch a comeback late in their 36-24 loss, infuriating Eels captain Clint Gutherson.
“He’s got a cramp, he’s got a cramp,” Gutherson could be heard saying to referee Ashley Klein. “You can’t stop the game for a cramp.”
In footage shown by the NRL, a Melbourne trainer can be seen telling referees to stop the game before he arrived to treat the Storm winger.
Under the NRL’s rules, play can only be stopped for a serious injury that requires a doctor to enter the field.
“Rules are pretty clear. We need to seek an explanation from the Storm on that incident, which we will do,” the NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley said on Monday.
“But on the face of it, it would appear to be a contravention of the rules.”
The Storm will have five days to respond to the notice.
© AAP
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