Bulldogs utility Kurt Mann is set to be suspended for two games with an early plea following a crusher tackle during the team’s victory over the Eels on Monday. The NRL announced Mann’s potential suspension 90 minutes after the King’s Birthday match concluded. If Mann contests the charge and loses, his suspension could extend to three games.
The incident occurred in the 54th minute when Mann executed a dangerous tackle on Eels centre Will Penisini, resulting in Mann being sin-binned and placed on report. The Fox League commentary team, including Andrew Voss, Greg Alexander, and Cooper Cronk, unanimously agreed that Mann’s actions constituted a clear example of a crusher tackle, and the referees were correct in their decision to sin-bin him.
Alexander emphasized the severity of the tackle during the replay, pointing out the deliberate nature of the crusher maneuver. “That’s an example of a crusher that we don’t want to see. See how he lifted him and then went down hard?” he commented, stressing that such tackles need to be eradicated from the game. “That is a crusher that should get him put on report. That is a deliberate crusher.”
After a review by the Bunker, referee Peter Gough formally cited Mann’s actions as a crusher tackle, stating, “You’ve picked him up, you’ve dumped him and lost your legs, you’re in the bin.” Cooper Cronk supported this decision, affirming, “That’s absolutely the right call there from the officials.”
This incident and subsequent disciplinary action highlight the ongoing efforts to address and eliminate dangerous plays from the game.
