The NRL have a potential can of worms on their hands over players diving for penalties following a controversial incident during Sunday’s Titans-Rabbitohs clash.
For the second week in a row, the Titans were involved in some late game drama and once again it was Jayden Campbell at the forefront.
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Campbell was the goalkicker the Penrith trainer ran in front of last weekend. Eight days later, it was Campbell who was collected high in a 79th minute tackle right in front of the posts with his side trailing by two points.
The Rabbitohs weren’t penalised and held onto win the game, but they could consider themselves a little lucky the Titans and Campbell weren’t given the chance to tie it up and send it to golden point.
While it wasn’t a vicious high tackle by any means with little force involved, Rabbitohs forward Tom Fletcher did hit Campbell high
Like several players have done this season, Campbell didn’t stay down after the tackle meaning the Bunker weren’t given an opportunity to have a closer look at the play.
Had the Bunker gone over the replay, the penalty would probably have been given, leaving a chip shot penalty goal to tie the game.
Fox League’s Steve Roach said in commentary the Titans should have been awarded a penalty, as did Matty Johns, who credited Campbell for not diving or milking for one.
“Fair play to Jayden Campbell. I want to give him a rap here,” Johns said on Sunday Night with Matty Johns.
“There was a high shot from Tom Fletcher. There wasn’t a lot in it but if Jayden stays down there, they level up. There’s no doubt about it, but good on him for getting up on his feet.”
Veteran journalist Phil Rothfield agreed with Johns, applauding Campbell for his actions before admitting those actions played against him.
“Being the good guy doesn’t always pay as we found out. I love players who don’t dive but sadly it’s become an important part of the game,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast. “If the match is on the line and you get hit high, you lie down.
“That’s rugby league and while ever the rules allow this to happen, players will milk.”
Rothfield noted that unfortunately, diving is apart of the game and a tactic teams will use to take advantage of the harsh laws around high tackles, dangerous contact and even obstructions.
Rothfield pointed to the disallowed Cowboys try in the 80th minute of the Eels-Cowboys clash as an example, where Jeremiah Nanai ran into Eels skipper Mitch Moses, constituting an obstruction that was helped sold by Moses falling back.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten also made his feelings known about Moses’ actions.
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“Jayden Campbell is one of the few players in this game that wasn’t prepared to take a dive which is a bit different to Mitch Moses, I don’t know if you saw his dive from that no try at CommBank Stadium yesterday,” Rothfield said.
He continued by calling on the NRL to do something about it, suggesting a rule change that will incentivise players not to feign injury to draw a penalty.
“I don’t think there’s a rule to fix this because the referees aren’t doctors. They don’t know if a player is hurt or not.
“I think we maybe need some sort of rule where if a player goes down and it’s serious enough that he can’t get up well maybe that player goes off for a HIA.
“If it’s serious enough to result in a penalty or further investigation, where the player has suffered a bad knock correct? Send him for a HIA and that will stop players diving.”
Blues coach Laurie Daley agreed that diving wasn’t a good look, but admitted that he “probably” would encourage his players to stay down if in a similar situation to Campbell.
“If that’s a grand final, you’re wanting him to stay down every day of the week. You don’t want to promote it but you’re saying to him, ‘mate, I wish you stayed down’,” Daley said to which Rothfield shot back.
“If it happened in Origin, you’d be bailing the player up and saying ‘why did you get up you fool’. You’d be encouraging this,” Rothfield quipped.
“I probably would have,” Daley responded with a chuckle.
Discussing the Campbell incident on Sunday Night with Matty Johns, Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh was glad to see no penalty given to the Titans.
“In all seriousness, that’s how it should be. He got a brush across the face,” Hindmarsh said before Bryan Fletcher asked if the importance of the game would play a factor on if a player stayed down after a questionable tackle.
“Devil’s advocate here. This is a semi-final going into a grand final?” Fletcher said.
“The referee would not blow the whistle on something that light. Surely not,” Hindmarsh replied.
Campbell’s coach Des Hasler was even asked about his halfback’s actions and if he was proud that Campbell got straight back up.
“I can’t put words or thoughts into people’s minds so I’m not going to get into hypotheticals,” Hasler said.
“It doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t change anything.”
