Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui could be in strife with the match review committee after being placed on report for a huge hit on Knights prop Leo Thompson on Friday night.
Fa’asuamaleaui lined up Thompson on the fourth tackle of the game and levelled his rival front-rower just 40 seconds into the contest.
Referee Belinda Sharpe blew the whistle and placed Fa’asuamaleaui, who looked dazed from the contest, on report for a shoulder charge.
Watch your team in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership. Stream every round LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.
“Leo Thompson was rocked there, there might be a problem for Fa’asuamaleaui,” Warren Smith said on Fox League.
“It’s a bit of a head clash too by the look of it, it might have crept up just a little bit high with the shoulder, that’s the sort of impact they’re looking for early in the game the Titans,” Steve Roach responded.
“I think it’s a head clash, but he’s on report.”
MORE NRL NEWS
‘IT’S ATTITUDE’: Ennis torn in top-of-the-table clash 31 years in the making
‘SON OF A BUSH GUN’: Remarkable roots and rise of Dally M leader Will Kennedy
QLD PREDICTED TEAM: Kangaroos star brutally axed, incumbents gone in shake-up
NSW PREDICTED TEAM: Origin heroes on chopping block; brutal selections verdict
The NRL cracked down on high contact a fortnight ago in Round 8 with 15 players sin binned, but they reigned it in for Magic Round last week.
Smith agreed with Roach but was adamant that Fa’asuamaleaui would have been given his marching orders two weeks ago.
“It’s a head clash but it’s a shoulder charge motion from Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and one of the reasons they banned the shoulder charge was the incidental contact, head clashes like that.
“Two weeks ago, I’ve got no doubt in my mind at all that he’d be in the sin bin right now. They wound things back last week and he stays on the field in the opening minutes.”
The Titans were on the receiving end of 5-0 penalty count and 3-0 set restart count in the opening 15 minutes as Sharpe kept blowing her whistle on the visitors.
Watch LIVE coverage of the 2025 Betfred Super League season on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer
Discussion about this post