He’s only been back for one game since his ban for dissent, but Melbourne Storm stalwart Brandon Smith could be in trouble with the judiciary again after he was put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy used his post-match press conference to ask the Match Review Committee to ignore the current context, with Broncos star Pat Carrigan suspended for four weeks following a similar tackle on Wests Tigers star Jackson Hastings last week.
“I just hope it gets judged on the tackle (itself), not some of the hysteria that has gone on this week,” Bellamy said.
“That’s all we ask.
“If you go on one last week (it looks bad) but how many has there been?
“Pat Carrigan doesn’t go out on the field to break Hastings’ legs, they’re an accident.”
Smith took out Fa’asuamaleaui’s legs in a seemingly innocuous challenge that didn’t draw the attention of commentators until the Titans star reeled out in pain.
Smith was placed on report by referee Peter Gough after some ugly replays.
“I understand it’s wet and he’s sliding, but he throws his legs out which drops the weight on the back foot, it’s on report,” Gough told Storm captain Jesse Bromwich at the time.
The Storm coach shared his thoughts on the controversial tackles, saying they’re not as big an issue in the game as they seem to be at this moment in time.
“I don’t see it as a big issue of the game,” Bellamy said.
“I understand that it can injure people, but there hasn’t been a whole heap this year I think.
“I just hope it gets judged on (the facts) and not on is being in the news a lot this week.”
