LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
NRL fans are left puzzled as Stephen Crichton escaped any sanction after being reported for allegedly 'raking' Ryan Papenhuyzen's face, while Harry Grant received a two-game ban for a contentious shoulder charge. The Melbourne Storm showcased their strength as they are likely to head into the NRL finals as frontrunners, defeating the Bulldogs 20-14 with a stellar defensive performance.
The Bulldogs almost turned the tide against the Storm after Grant was sin-binned for head-high contact. In the second half, Grant made contact with Harry Hayes' head, but the incident went unnoticed by the Bunker initially, only coming to light later when play was halted.
Grant expressed disbelief that his tackle was being reviewed and ultimately was sent to the sidelines for ten minutes. The Bulldogs failed to capitalize on this opportunity, as the Storm demonstrated their title-contending defense.
In the aftermath, coach Craig Bellamy voiced his disagreement with the officiating, asserting that Grant did not merit a ten-minute penalty. "In my opinion, I'm not quite sure it deserved a sin-bin; certainly a penalty and whatever," Bellamy said.
Despite his objections, Grant now faces a two-game suspension if he accepts the charge, which could mean he returns just in time for the first week of the finals. He can contest the charge at the judiciary, but should he lose, the Storm would miss their key No. 9 during the opening game of the NRL finals. With the likelihood that he will miss the final two regular-season games, fans were astonished that Bulldogs captain Crichton faced no repercussions for his controversial actions.
Criticism arose from fans when Crichton escaped suspension for high contact on Tigers centre Taylan May in a recent game, and he once again drew criticism following a controversial moment on Friday night, where he was reported for allegedly 'raking' at Papenhuyzen's face.