Gould fires back at Crichton’s Vegas high tackle uproar

Phil Gould has broken silence on one of the most debated moments from the NRL's Las Vegas double-header, dismissing the controversy surrounding Stephen Crichton's tackle on St George Illawarra Dragons winger Setu Tu as nothing more than manufactured outrage.

Taking to X replying to fans in typically blunt fashion, Gould had little patience for the wave of criticism that flooded social media following the incident, and wasted no time in siding with the MRC who cleared Crichton of any wrongdoing.

"What high tackle? There was no high tackle," Gould wrote.

"As ruled by Bunker and Match Review Committee."

It was a pointed rebuttal.

Both the in-game Bunker review and the Match Review Committee found no case to answer, yet the footage continued to circulate online, with plenty of fans and commentators convinced Crichton should have faced consequences.

Gould disagreed with the fact that during the game, it was given a high tackle. 

Responding to a question by another fan about whether Crichthon was penalised, Gould replied:

"He did. We think incorrectly."

Whether his promised technical breakdown eventually comes or even shifts the court of public opinion remains to be seen.

If the response is any guide, the outrage he's diagnosing shows no signs of dying down anytime soon.