Cameron Smith and Paul Gallen baffled over 'farcical' NRL controversy

Patrick Carrigan has escaped sanction for a hip-drop tackle on Thursday night as NRL legend Cameron Smith was left dumbfounded over the sin-bin during the Storm's victory. Carrigan has been one of the Broncos' best players this year, but wasn't immune to some time on the sideline in a controversial game that saw four sin-bins, a penalty try and a divisive try-saving tackle.

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However, Carrigan's sin-bin for what was deemed a 'hip-drop' tackle caused two NRL greats to blast the controversy surrounding the game. The NRL has punished any notion of hip-drop tackles in 2023, which has seen players confused over what constitutes as the illegal act.

And Carrigan was dumbfounded and furious when he was marched for 10 minutes after he slipped down in a tackle on Nelson Asofa-Solomona. The referee told Carrigan he had landed on the Storm forward's legs and the incident had been reviewed. Although Carrigan wasn't the only one confused over the result.

Former Blues captain Paul Gallen was adamant it wasn't a penalty. "Was it a hip-drop tackle? Absolutely not. Does he deserve to be suspended? Absolutely not?" Gallen said in Channel Nine commentary.

Gallen did add that if the NRL were to be consistent with their rulings that Carrigan might find himself in hot water, regardless of whether he feels it's a hip-drop tackle or not.

Blues icon Johns appeared to agree there was no hip-drop in Carrigan's action. Maroons legend Smith was also asked about the decision after the game and he was perplexed that a player could be sent to the bin when he is carried along due to the momentum of a tackle.

"Hip-drops, what are we coming to? Smith said. "He swung around on a tackle on a 130Kg man. It's almost his arm-pit...his arm-pit hits his leg. Seriously."

"He'll be fine, please," Smith said of a potential looming suspension. And Smith was right with Carrigan avoiding a suspension on Friday morning after the match review committee looked at the incident.

The NRL world were left fuming over another controversial call in a tight game. NRL guru Phil Gould weighed-in and mocked the referees and the Bunker over the decision.

Reece Walsh charged over shoulder charge tackle

Another controversy that has taken a twist on Friday morning was Reece Walsh's try-saving tackle on Justin Olam. The Storm were leading 6-0 when Olam took advantage of an overlap play and was racing towards the corner flag.

However, Walsh raced across and just before Olam dived for the corner, the fullback collided with the Storm player and sent him crashing into touch. There appeared to be very little effort to wrap his arms around Olam in the tackle.

Olam did turn into Walsh just before the contact, but the Bunker checked the replay and was happy with the tackle. The last-ditch shoulder charge has been a talking point in the NRL in the past with arguably the game's greatest ever fullback, Billy Slater, in hot water after a similar incident in the preliminary final back in 2018.

While both Johns and Slater did not believe it was a shoulder charge, the match review committee deemed it was and fined Walsh $1,500 if he to accept the early guilty plea. This means both Carrigan and Walsh will be available for Maroons selection if Slater calls them up for State of Origin.

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