Brad Fittler calls on NRL to change 'momentum killing' rule change

Brendan Bradford

Brad Fittler calls on NRL to change 'momentum killing' rule change image

Brad Fittler is fully supportive of the NRL's crackdown on high shots but has urged the game to stop bringing play back several tackles and halting the momentum of the match. 

Fittler's comments come the morning after Roosters lock Victor Radley was sent to the sin bin twice and placed on report four times during the Tricolours' shock loss to Brisbane on Saturday. 

In both sin-binnings, play was allowed to continue by the onfield referee, Peter Gough, before intervention from the Bunker. 

Fittler has been a vocal supporter of the NRL's strict approach to contact with the head, but said awarding penalties and sin-binnings several tackles after an incident occurs is ruining the game. 

"They actually came back a couple of tackles later, which is one thing they have to change," Fittler said of Radley's first sin-binning for a shot on Broncos half Albert Kelly. 

"You can't come back in tackles. If you don't get it right, you don't get it right. 

"We can fix it later. We're not going to get every single one of them. 

"I'm all for no contact with the head at all. But you can't come back later. 

"Surely you can come back and fix that later. I know it's Victor and he's had a couple of them, and emotions are running high, but you can't go back.

"You're killing the game. It's not the head shots. You're killing the game by going back and breaking any sort of momentum and rhythm in the game."

With ongoing focus on the NRL's crackdown on contact with the head, Fittler again outlined his support for the harsher penalties, and rejected the notion State of Origin could be ruined because of it. 

"The game is better. I can't see how anyone thinks that the game isn't going to be better by taking out high shots," the New South Wales coach said.  

"It's always been illegal to have high shots, we're only starting to rule on a lot of them at the moment. Stop making excuses for poor technique and decision making.

"I had a question asked me this morning 'is State of Origin going to be ruined by this?'

"Seriously? The game is going to improve so much by having our best players play with the confidence they're not going to get their face smashed off.

"By far, all football is going to be better by reducing head contact."

Radley will be rubbed out for between four and six weeks, ruling him out of the State of Origin opener in Melbourne on June 9. 

Asked about the Roosters enforcer's indiscretions, Fittler said it was a mixture of emotion from Radley and overreaction from officials. 

"I think Victor got a couple wrong. I think the refs were overzealous on a couple," Fittler said. 

"I didn't see any contact on the Albert Kelly incident. There was the one with Xavier Coates - I think the referee got that wrong. 

"The other ones, Victor's gotta learn to change his style. 

"It was emotional on the field with Lodge and Jared and those guys in the middle. Victor needs to be able to control that. 

 

Brendan Bradford