Stephen Crichton has gotten off with a fine after being cited by the match review committee on Saturday morning, after fears he could be suspended and ruled out of State of Origin 1. Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston said on Friday night that Crichton had a “duty of care” not to hit Lindsay Collins in the head, and suggested he could be facing a ban.
Crichton hit Collins in the head with his shoulder while the Roosters and Maroons forward was on the ground during the Bulldogs’ 24-20. Crichton had just put in a failed grubber that Collins collected on the ground, before Crichton lunged in shoulder-first and hit his opponent in the head.
The Bulldogs captain made no attempt to wrap his arms in the tackle, and immediately knew he’d done the wrong thing. Referee Ashley Klein awarded a penalty, but didn’t think it was sufficient enough to warrant putting Crichton on report.
On Saturday morning, the match review committee hit Crichton with a Grade 1 charge for dangerous contact. The Bulldogs captain can take a $3000 fine with an early guilty plea, making him free to play Origin 1 on May 28.
Because he’d already been charged twice this year, there were concerns he’d be facing a suspension if he was cited on Saturday morning. But NSW coach Laurie Daley will be breathing a huge sigh of relief.
Johnathan Thurston calls out Stephen Crichton
Thurston and Brad Fittler debated the incident after the game on Channel 9, and Fittler said he believed Crichton will be fine. “I think the way the game has moved since a couple of weeks ago that it won’t be too bad,” the former NSW coach said. “He’s gone in with the shoulder… but I think he will be okay.”
But Thurston, a proud Queenslander, reckoned he could be in hot water. “It’s not too bad,” the Maroons assistant coach said. “But you’ve still got a duty of care when someone is on the ground. You still need a wrapping motion and he’s not done that at all. It will be very interesting to see what the match review committee have.”
Crucially, Collins didn’t appear to be injured at all and didn’t require a head injury assessment. The contact appeared to be very light, which worked in Crichton and NSW’s favour.
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Terrell May set to be handed State of Origin lifeline?
Meanwhile, the door is ajar for Terrell May to be handed a State of Origin lifeline despite reports he’s set to be snubbed by Blues coach Daley. The NSW coach was believed to be leaning towards picking Jacob Saifiti over May in the Origin opener, but Saifiti suffered a calf injury in Newcastle’s loss to Parramatta earlier on Friday night.
Mitchell Moses and Zac Lomax staked their claims with starring performances for the Eels. However Blues bolter Jacob Kiraz was rather quiet in the Bulldogs’ win.