Gallen goes nuclear on 'players laying down'

Cronulla Sharks large Paul Gallen has accused players "laying down for penalties" aft Jayden Brailey was enactment connected study for a questionable crusher tackle connected Tino Fa'asuamaleaui.

The seemingly innocuous situation came midway done the archetypal fractional of the Knights' 15-14 triumph implicit the Titans, as Mitchell Pearce booted his troops into the post-season seconds earlier the last siren.

Brailey appeared to travel down somewhat awkwardly connected Fa'asuamaleaui who had turned his backmost successful the tackle.

It led Gallen to marque the modern mentation of the crusher tackle arsenic "the biggest blight" connected the game, arsenic Newcastle present look the imaginable of perchance contesting portion of the post-season without Brailey.

Gallen fires up implicit the modern mentation of the crusher tackle. (Nine)

"It's the biggest blight connected the crippled astatine the moment, the crusher tackle," Gallen said.

"That's not a crusher tackle. We each cognize what the crusher tackle was, erstwhile you get them successful the back, clasp them, prime them up and driblet your value connected the backmost of their neck. That's what a crusher tackle was. These are not crusher tackle.

"I hold with Gus Gould. Blow the Bunker up. Now, Gus says a batch of things astir blowing the bunker up, a batch of things helium doesn't cognize these days astir the rules. But that is 1 happening that should beryllium blown up.

"They are not crusher tackles. They are conscionable not. They are portion of the game. It conscionable happens successful a tackle. What other tin they do?

"No 1 adjacent knew what happened successful that tackle. The occupation these days is, arsenic soon arsenic determination is immoderate unit connected the neck, players are laying down. Years ago, we utilized to stroke up our players for laying down. I retrieve I laic down for a punishment 1 day, I got hammered astir it for 3 weeks. Hammered.

"Now everyone's conscionable laying down to get a punishment and it's similar 'play on'."

Eighth Immortal Andrew Johns Was arsenic unimpressed with a drawstring of caller interpretations of the crusher tackle.

"A fortnight ago, Angus Crichton got 3 weeks for thing precise similar," Johns said.

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"Then, past week South Sydney's Keaon Koloamatangi got 2 weeks. That's not adjacent a penalty. The Angus Crichton 1 I didn't deliberation was a penalty, and Koloamatangi's I didn't deliberation that was a penalty."

Fa'asuamaleaui was taken for HIA but returned aft passing the assessment.

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