NRL legend Johnathan Thurston expects a remorseful Corey Harawira-Naera to miss the rest of the season after the Canberra forward was sent off for a high shot on Melbourne’s Jahrome Hughes.
There were no complaints from Harawira-Naera when he was marched with four minutes to go in the Raiders’ frustrating 26-16 loss to the Storm on Thursday, even apologising to Hughes as the pair left the ground.
The Storm led 20-4, but Bailey Simonsson’s second and third tries drew them within four points before the Raiders blew chances of an upset with a series of unforced errors in the final 20 minutes.
The loss left the Raiders teetering on the edge of the top eight with three rounds to play, while it was an 18th straight win for the Storm.
Raiders teammate Josh Papalii copped a three-game suspension for a high shot that saw him sent off earlier this season.
“He’s going to be in a lot of strife, Corey,” Thurston told Channel Nine post game.
“It’s a tackle that has certainly gone wrong. I don’t know if he’ll see out the end of the year.
“He’s going to be in for a long stint on the sideline; it’s gone horribly wrong, I don’t know how you’re going to defend that.”
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart didn’t argue against the send-off, but did endorse Harawira-Naera’s character.
“If he has hit him in the head, yes (it’s the correct decision), but it is not in Corey’s makeup to hurt someone like that,” the coach said.
“It is a collision game and he has come in fast.”
Storm coach Craig Bellamy said Hughes was struggling after the hit and couldn’t remember any details of the game.
Harawira-Naera’s sidelining comes just days after the club agreed to loan middle forwards Corey Horsburgh and Ryan James to Canterbury on a week-by-week basis.
Stuart hinted at least one of them could be back in lime green next week though and lamented the three tries in 17 minutes, after the Raiders had opened the scoring, for their demise.
“They went through some really poor defence … it was really disappointing and then some end of sets and basic fundamentals in the second half we didn’t finish off (hurt too),” he said.
“The way they came back was wonderful; they’re a very determined, committed football team but when you crucify yourself … it makes it too hard.”
Raiders centre Jarrod Croker was also rubbed out after a head knock late in the first half, while Melbourne’s Dale Finucane didn’t return after he too suffered a head knock in the opening minutes.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vVHBgaTY no chance of a head high with this tackle (ok, we won't mention Greysies hit on Richarf Hill in the 2nd test.)
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Tough luck, just assume that everyone is made of glass and adjust your technique to minimise the chance of head high contact
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
No rule or guidelines for this but it would be something for the NRL to think about introducing for head high contact at least. Might be what is needed to make blokes think twice before leading with their shoulder, or for coaches to get fair dinkum about actually teaching blokes and helping them adjust their tackling technique
mushi
Roar Guru
Not saying they can’t learn it. I’m saying it will increase fatigue, as Harry’s point was it takes more effort. As you say incentives. That was the my point. We’ve also increased fatigue in general play at the same time so we’ve created competing uses for the scarce resource of “energy”.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
My issue with that is that you can have an imbalance when one guy is more robust than another. eg. two guys get hit in the same way. One is built tougher and for whatever reason get back to the game earlier. His assaulter then gets less time off because...?? Give Olam a cost hanger and he's liable to just shake it off and front up next week.. The same hit might put another guy of similar build in traction for a few months...
Rob
Guest
Whilst I agree comparing the offence and consequences for the victims are significantly different I do think “the what for your kidding” (Crieghton) compared to oh crap sorry mate ( CHN) are different also. That sort of evens up the punishment with one regularly in trouble to another who only gets in trouble occasionally.
Dutski
Roar Guru
3 weeks doesn’t feel enough. I get the whole discounts, loadings etc but when you compare Crichtons and CHNs it seems pretty ludicrous that they receive the same punishment.
Cam
Roar Rookie
I was more focusing more on an eye for an eye, but ok how about this; his 9 week suspension becomes a 9 game suspension to be served exclusively against the Storm only. And CHN has to give Hughes three goats. Judiciary problem solved, your welcome NRL.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah, fair point
Greg
Roar Pro
I understand your point but not all 3 week suspensions are equal. This hit was a 6 week suspension, id say still not enough, but reduced to 3 for a clean record. I believe the other two had history?? thus loading sees a smaller suspension extended to 3 weeks.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
See Mushi I disagree. I watch the choreographed manoeuvre that is the modern two or three Man tackle. Nureyev would be proud. Now if you can program that into players muscle memory 3ven under severe fatigue, you can program in a lowered tackle height. I agree fatigue will cause some tackles to go wrong but a lowered tackle height means a tackle ' gone wrong ' still won't result in a serious head contact. People respond to incentives. Its one of the few profound things economics has to say to us. The incentives ( or disincentives) are not right in RL. If they were the high shot would go the way of the shoulder charge.
Opposed Session
Roar Rookie
If the responsibility is with the defender for contact with the head. Why do they still deem a head clash as a accident? Surely if we are getting serious about concussion it must be a penalty. With multiple cameras these days no one genuinely attempts to hit a player in the head do they? Not saying it should be anything more than a penalty though. I know I’d rather hit my head on a shoulder or arm than their skull.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
only an accident? that will then become the excuse used each weekend at the judiciary. Doesn’t help the player who’s had his melon smashed by a shoulder or swinging arm. The only thing that will change tackle height and technique is big fines and lots of time watching from the sidelines. “Sorry dude- your career’s over because of multiple concussions because I was lazy & made no effort to tackle you properly, too bad that, I can still play though, have just renewed my $400k/year contract))”
steveng
Roar Rookie
Ok that sounds good in theory but, what about Alex McKinnon tragic incident who became a quadriplegic and his career over and then Smith giving all sorts of excuses for the 3 Storm players who were guilty of his injury.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
nothing better than watching a player folded in half with a good tackle, & no worries of it being head high
Vivalasvegan
Roar Rookie
And Rapana and the other big Raiders lad were horrified and went straight to Hughes's aid. Tough hombres, fierce competitors, but good blokes.
The Barry
Roar Guru
On the game … can’t believe how hard the Raiders made it on themselves They started so well and then conceded three tries in ten minutes, two of them from crazy soft, lazy defence Then when they got back in the game Timoko bounced the ball over the line, Wighton kicked dead a few times to take pressure off, not finding touch, high tackles, dropped balls You can make a convincing argument they should have won last night. Storm still super professional and as soon as they get a sniff they’re circling like Sharks (jaws ones, not Cronulla ones… :silly: )
The Barry
Roar Guru
There’s a whole lot of teething problems that immediately come to mind with that but also a fair bit of merit that could warrant some investigation If CHN had broken Hughes’ jaw - an immediate injury - the MRC and judiciary would take that into account. But with concussion, it’s unlikely anyone will know if Hughes is playing next week at the time of sentencing let alone in six weeks time Maybe a min and max sentence could work…
The Barry
Roar Guru
Luke Thompson was rubbed out for three weeks for a late bump on Blake Brailey that wasn’t high and from which Brailey got up immediately, played out the rest of the game and didn’t miss a match Crichton got three weeks for a crusher that was nowhere near as reckless as this tackle CHN hit Hughes straight in the head with his shoulder. I get their wasn’t any intent to it but it was pretty recklesss Is three weeks for CHN sufficient (or equitable) in comparison? What if Hughes misses the rest of the season…?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
in this era of high shot clamp downs, concussions & them being treated seriousy, PVL trying to ensure players are healthy when 50 years old, how fkn syupid are these players to still look to tackle high? the season is almost over for half of the terams and yet there has been no significant attempt to change tackle technique / height during the season so far. When one of these grubs tries to sue the NRL for concussion related health issues that the NRL says - 2021 we told you to lower tackle height and you all ignored it - that's on you.