LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Melbourne Storm's coach, Craig Bellamy, has addressed complaints from rival teams regarding the rules that prevent players from being tackled in the air. He stated that any team unhappy with these rules should submit a request for change, especially in light of claims that his team is gaining an unfair advantage.
Recently, Storm winger Xavier Coates was awarded a penalty try during a match against the Brisbane Broncos after he was tackled in the air while attempting to score. This rule, implemented in 2020, aligns with international standards.
Former Storm player Cooper Cronk suggested that the team might be taking advantage of this rule by deliberately kicking the ball to Coates in the in-goal area, where he cannot be tackled.
As the Storm prepare for a rematch against Penrith in the grand final, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary expressed the need for "common sense" in enforcing rules related to how players can defend against scoring opportunities.
"I think it's one of those ones where the rule was originally made, we tend to forget why it was made and we drift off and it becomes something else," he remarked.
In response to these criticisms, Bellamy firmly reminded opponents that the rules are established by governing bodies. "That's the rules. Doesn't matter what I think. Doesn't matter what anyone thinks. It's the guys making up the rules, so that's the rules," he stated on Wednesday.