LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
The match review committee (MRC) has ruled that Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton will not face any charges despite delivering a high shot that knocked out Wests Tigers player Taylan May during Sunday's intense match.
Tigers head coach Benji Marshall expressed his frustration, noting that Crichton remained on the field while one of his players, Alex Seyfarth, was sent to the sin bin earlier for a shoulder tackle to Bulldogs forward Harry Hayes' head.
Seyfarth is now facing a possible 3-4 match suspension due to his high shot, which occurred shortly after he had already been penalized. His previous record may influence the severity of the punishment.
Much of the attention, however, is directed at Crichton and the MRC's decision not to charge him for his tackle. Referee Wyatt Raymond indicated that there was considerable "mitigation" in the case, as May had slipped into the contact during the tackle.
Crichton's tackle was noted on report, yet he was permitted to continue playing, which raised eyebrows, especially since just days earlier, South Sydney's Jack Wighton received a four-match ban for a shoulder charge that caused a concussion to Cronulla's Toby Rudolf.
When asked for his thoughts on the situation after the match, Marshall stated, "I don't really want to get in trouble. I just can't understand why one's one thing and another one's another thing and now we lose Taylan for 11 days. Lucky we've got the bye."