‘Lying down so as to milk a penalty’: Lawyer slams NRL over gamers diving after Preston fails in judiciary

Jacob Preston’s legal professional has implored the NRL to release a crackdown on diving after the Canterbury ahead’s State of Origin hopes have been dashed on the league’s judiciary.

A dejected Preston was once on Tuesday night time discovered to blame of a crusher take on on Gold Coast’s Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and passed a four-game ban in a mega blow to the ladder-leading Bulldogs.

Preston’s ache is doubled by means of the truth he may have copped a high quality if no longer for 2 earlier offences this yr, however will now as an alternative omit a month of soccer.

The NSW hopeful will omit video games towards Canberra, Sydney Roosters, Dolphins and Parramatta, and no longer play once more prior to groups are picked for Origin II.

But in a surprising post-hearing remark, Preston’s legal professional Paul McGirr claimed diving was once standard within the sport as gamers tried to earn consequences from crusher tackles.

“I’m not suggesting this with Tino, but some players certainly appear to be lying down a bit in order to milk a penalty,” McGirr mentioned. 

“Particularly when players go down and behave like their heads almost falling off, and then they’re running it up two or three times in the next (set of) six.”

McGirr’s feedback come after the file spate of sin-bins for foul play a fortnight in the past, prior to an important aid at Magic Round.

Taking section in his first NRL listening to, McGirr mentioned his stance got here out of a terror that league would pass down the similar trail as rugby with stop-start play.

“The general punter in the pub is sick of it,” McGirr mentioned.

“After the game even sometimes you can see opposition players smiling at each other and laughing about it.

“In this instance, the referee never even called anything out.”

Inside the hour-long listening to, Preston claimed Canterbury had ready for Fa’asuamaleaui to show his again into tackles. 

And whilst McGirr urged that left the Queensland Origin lock liable to damage, Preston mentioned the Bulldogs had mentioned tips on how to take on him safely.

McGirr then confirmed the panel no less than 12 separate runs from Fa’asuamaleaui in Sunday’s fit, the place he grew to become his again into tackles all through the Titans’ loss

“Generally he will run the ball up and hit and spin and look to offload or gain post-contact metres while threatening to offload,” Preston mentioned. 

“We practice ways that are safe, we always prioritise the duty of care of players.”

Preston mentioned his proper arm become “wedged” in Fa’asuamaleaui’s armpit, which means he first of all struggled to unencumber the Titans’ megastar’s head.

“I was trying to make sure I don’t put him in a vulnerable position … I am conscious of the position he could fall into,” Preston mentioned.

“I am trying to rip my right arm out and put it on the front of his body to avoid putting him in a dangerous position … such as the crusher tackle.”

Preston contested claims from the NRL’s legal professional, Lachlan Gyles, that he had added to the power on Fa’asuamaleaui’s head by means of leaving the bottom within the take on.

Gyles additionally claimed there was once no proof to signify Preston did take a look at to take away his arm, some degree the Bulldogs second-rower flatly rejected.

“As my arm comes out that’s when I lose my feet simultaneously,” Preston mentioned.

But the panel of Tony Puletua and Paul Simpkins took not up to 15 mins to consider Gyles, pointing to Preston’s toes leaving the bottom as their major factor.

Preston’s ban method he joins Sitili Tupouniua and Josh Curran as suspended Bulldogs, forward in their top-of-the-table conflict with the Raiders on Saturday.

© AAP