NRL News: Matterson lashes out at 'absurd' judiciary while sledging Luai, Warrior in strife

Ryan Matterson has hit out at the NRL over his punishment for a grand-final crusher tackle, defending his decision to take a three-match ban rather than pay a $4000 fine.

Matterson will miss Parramatta’s first three rounds of next season after being stung for his third offence of this year with a crusher tackle on Dylan Edwards in the Eels’ loss.

Under NRL rules brought in specifically to keep players on the park in the finals, the Eels back-rower was able to accept a financial sanction for the offence.

But speaking to reporters at Parramatta’s presentation night, Matterson said he had reasons to not take up the financial sanction and expressed frustrations over perceived judicial inconsistencies.

Notably, he questioned why Penrith five-eighth Jarome Luai was not charged over an alleged first-half kick on Isaiah Papali’i.

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

The 27-year-old also called on the NRL to abolish fines, claiming players were struggling to keep up amid rule changes.

“I just feel that $4000 is pretty hefty considering I have already paid close to $4000 in fines this year for things that are absurd,” Matterson said. 

“At the end of the day I have personal things I need to worry about outside of rugby league. I just didn’t think it was warranted.

“If you do something wrong at work. They don’t take money off you.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m playing rugby league.

“It’s just getting quicker and quicker and people are getting stronger and stronger – and the game keeps changing rules.”

Matterson’s comments come as the players’ union has long pushed for fines to go, adamant they do not act as a deterrent.

The NSW State of Origin representative also said he felt the grand-final incident was not serious enough to attract any charge.

“The way Dylan went back in towards me and he kept driving his legs, I tried to let his head out but he just kept back-pedalling,” Matterson said.

“I’m not going to let him back-pedal 100 metres. So I have to stop him. There wasn’t much in it.

“It didn’t make sense to me. At the time I thought it was definitely a penalty, but I didn’t think it would go much further than that.

“Considering Jarome Luai is kicking players and he didn’t get cited. It makes you think ‘Where is this game heading?’”

Matterson, who had the best year of his career in 2022 which earned him a new four-year deal, said he had received the Eels’ approval before making the decision to take the ban.

“It’s always hard. I love playing. It’s something I spoke to the club about before I made the decision.

“Obviously it’s a hard one, but I have personal reasons I need to take into consideration.”

Shaun Lane won Parramatta’s Ken Thornett Medal as male player of the year, while Simaima Taufa and Kennedy Cherrington were judged best women’s players.

Curran in strife for pub incident

Warriors forward Josh Curran is the latest NRL player to land himself in trouble just a couple of days into the start of the off-season.

After Cowboys forward Luciano Leilua was charged over an alleged domestic violence incident on Monday in Sydney, the Warriors have confirmed on Tuesday that Curran was involved in an incident at a pub in Port Macquarie on Sunday night.

“The club wishes to advise that the incident has been reported to the NRL Integrity Unit and will now await any further information from the NRL investigation,” he said in a club statement. “The club will make no further comment on this matter.”

Curran, who represented the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII a fortnight ago at Suncorp Stadium, has played 38 matches in the NRL, all but one with the Warriors after making his debut with the Roosters in 2019.

Josh Curran. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The NRL is investigating Curran’s involvement in the incident which reportedly left a teenage boy with facial injuries at a licensed venue in Port Macquarie on NSW’s mid-North Coast over the weekend.

It is believed Curran called the club to inform them of the matter.

NSW Police said on Tuesday they were investigating an incident where a 16-year-old boy was allegedly assaulted.

“Officers from Mid North Coast Police District commenced inquiries after reports a teenager was assaulted at a nightclub on William Street, Port Macquarie, about 3am on Sunday (2 October 2022),” a police spokesman said.

“The teenage boy received facial injuries as a result of the alleged incident.

“Investigations into this incident are continuing. As part of their inquiries, investigators are interviewing numerous witnesses and reviewing CCTV from the nightclub and surrounds.”

It comes as the NRL weighs up whether to stand North Queensland star Luciano Leilua down after he was charged on Monday with domestic violence offences.

Leilua is due to represent Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup, and had been preparing to fly to England when he was advised to stay behind.

A legal representative for the second-rower told Nine Newspapers on Tuesday their client planned to defend the charges.

There remains a question over whether any NRL sanctions would impinge on his ability to line up at the World Cup, which begins later this month.

Leilua’s charges do not equate to a minimum 11-year prison terms for the automatic no-fault stand-down policy to be invoked, however the NRL has previously stood players down over domestic violence charges.

The situation was complicated on Tuesday by the fact Samoa were in transit to the UK, while timezones also made clarity difficult.

World Cup officials have previously indicated the NRL would determine when punishments would be carried into the tournament.

Salmon, Eisenhuth to stay at Panthers

Jaeman Salmon has declared his desire to remain at Penrith, claiming the back-to-back premiers saved his NRL career in signing him two years ago.

Salmon is the only remaining member of the Panthers’ premiership-winning team off contract, after playing as a bench utility this year.

The 23-year-old had been linked with a move to Canterbury, particularly given the Panthers are rumoured to be in talks to bring in fellow utility Tyrone Peachey from Wests Tigers.

But Salmon has made clear he wants to stay put, saying the Panthers stuck by him and offered immense support during the Ricky Stuart saga this year, when the Canberra coach called him a “weak-gutted dog” after his on-field incident involving Raider Tom Starling.

“Everything’s pretty much sorted. I’d like to be here next year,” Salmon told AAP.

When he exited Parramatta at the end of 2020, Salmon had gone 14 months without playing an NRL game, and began working as a carpenter on days where he wasn’t training.

He was offered a lifeline by the Panthers, signed as a back-up playmaker and starting in three games this season to go with his 22 off the bench.

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“They’ve revived my career,” said Salmon, paying particular thanks to coach Ivan Cleary and his assistant Cameron Ciraldo. 

“I was at Parra and at a crossroads if I wanted to play footy or not anymore. Penrith gave me a shot. 

“I spoke to Ivan and Ciro and they’ve been the best for me ever since I got here. They’ve just had belief in me.

“I was going to give it up and start being a carpenter. But I thought I would give it a crack and now I’m a premiership winner. It’s unbelievable.”

Salmon was one of four players in Penrith’s 28-12 win over Parramatta not to play in last year’s decider, watching that victory over South Sydney from the sideline.

Matt Eisenhuth is also optimistic of remaining at Penrith beyond 2022 as discussions between the Panthers and the middle forward’s management reach their pointy end.

Eisenhuth made 16 appearances for the newly minted premiers in the regular season but was the odd man out in the finals series.

Instead of playing in the Panthers’ second consecutive premiership win, Eisenhuth featured for the Penrith NSW Cup team’s grand final and state championship wins that helped highlight the club’s dominance across the lower grades.

Eisenhuth, 30, was the oldest player to feature for Penrith at NRL level this season and is one of only four Panthers currently uncontracted for 2023, along with Christian Crichton, Kurt Falls and premiership winner Jaeman Salmon.

“It’s in talks at the moment. I’m pretty confident that I’ll be hanging around,” Eisenhuth told AAP. “I love being at this club, I love the group of players, I love the coaching staff.

“Why would you want to leave a club that’s going so well at all levels?”

Eisenhuth also missed out on selection in 2021’s successful grand final team, despite featuring heavily during the regular season.

But Eisenhuth insisted his two close calls with NRL premiership success had not discouraged him.

“Not everyone can play when there’s so much talent around,” he said. “Coming into next year, I’ll be doing everything I can to try and be in that 17 and play as many first-grade games as I can.

“But if it’s the same as this year, whenever I’m called upon I’ll do my job. If that’s my role for the club and the squad, then I’m content.”