Melbourne Storm forward Max King has been sent straight to the NRL judiciary after a dangerous "hip drop" tackle on Dragons front-rower Blake Lawrie, per NRL.com.
The controversial incident had plenty criticising King's actions, with Fox Sports commentator Greg Alexander suggesting the Storm player had "intent to injure".
Blake Lawrie off with leg injury, concern by video for syndesmosis/MCL injury (hopefully minor) with twist & contact in tackle. Once again variation of the hip drop tackle in practice, nasty technique. Has crept into the game & poses significant risk to knee/ankle of ball carrier pic.twitter.com/clgsFvvcOu
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) September 27, 2020
"I think that incident in itself is worthy of 10 minutes in the bin," Alexander said during the broadcast.
"That is foul play, that is obvious foul play. That has started this year (the hip-drop tackle).
"That’s got an intent to injure, that’s what that has got in it."
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy was quick to respond to Alexander's comments.
"That's ridiculous," he said.
"That is ridiculous. I'd very disappointed if any player in the competition goes out to intentionally injure an opposition player. That is ridiculous.
"I didn't see it closely," he said of King's tackle earlier in his media conference.
"From what I saw there was a heap of bodies entangled there. I'll have to have a look at it and see what happens.
"Obviously that's out of our control, we'll have to see what the match review committee come down with."
Bellamy fielded the second-most inexperienced side in NRL history during Sunday's loss to the Dragons.
Tui Kamikamica will have the option to half a two-week suspension with a guilty plea after being with a grade-two dangerous contact charge for an incident involving Saints' Jayden Sullivan.
