Tariq Sims’ alleged late and high hit has split the rugby league community, with the consequence rather than the intent the point of conjecture.
While refeering howlers briefly stole the spotlight, Sims’ hit on Cowboys playmaker Michael Morgan during the Dragons 2-14 win over the Cowboys on Friday night has stayed in the headlines, largely due to Sims being named in Brad Fittler’s Origin III side.
Sims jolted Morgan with a heavy tackle early in the second half after the North Queensland captain had passed the football.
Watch the hit below
Morgan's ball was ruled to have gone forward but play was unable to restart for a few minutes as the pivot stayed down after the contact.
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Both Cowboys coach Paul Green and Dragons coach Paul McGregor went into bat for their respective charges in the post-match presser, but it was the MRC who had the last word, charging the Origin forward with a grade 2 dangerous contact charge.
Sims will fight the charge – instead of attempting to have it downgraded – on Tuesday night.
While veteran coach, commentator and wisdom dispenser Gus Gould could understand Paul Green’s frustration at losing his playmaker, he believes that Sims was on the right side of the law.
“If they went back and showed the amount of time that Morgan dummied in that game – if Tariq Sims didn’t make an effort at him or at least put his body in front of him – I didn’t think it was that bad,” Gould said on Monday night’s 100% Footy.
“Brad Fittler sent me the tape over the weekend and said what do you think of this? I said, ‘well, he won’t get charged for that, surely’. It’s not your bang-in-the-back, whiplash-type tackle.
“I couldn’t see contact with the head, I couldn’t see anything high in it…watching the game, Morgan had dummied that many types that if you don’t put your body in front of him and he dummies and goes through, the coach is blowing up.”
Sims’ tackle pales in comparison to similar offences of late – Josh Maguire’s late hit on James Maloney in the dying moments of Origin II the most glaring .
The Queensland firebrand copped a one-match suspension for it.
“There’s been a big song and dance by a lot of former players about protecting playmakers. You’re going to get a grey area like this and unfortunately, it’s on the eve of an Origin game for Tariq," Gould said.
“I’m surprised he got charged. But, having been charged, I’d be very surprised if he gets off.”
For a panel of five, which is what 100% Footy had on deck, unanimous agreement is rare, yet all the panellists agreed that Sims’ intent wasn’t malicious.
Still, Michael Morgan played no further part in the game.
“Paul Green does blow up a fair bit and I don’t always agree with it but I do on this one,” Paul Gallen said. “The tackle wasn’t late but his shoulder did get Morgan in the chin and knocked him out.
“He’s the chief playmaker; I thought it should have been a penalty. It was at a crucial point – 12 all – and the Cowboys then kicked the two and went ahead.”
It’s poor timing for Sims, less than a week after the NRL ordered their officials to use the sin bin for both late hits and crusher tackles.
Except Sims wasn’t sin-binned – or even penalised.
“I know they’re trying to make a stance in the game and everyone understands the stance. I’m just not sure if this is the tackle where they need to do it,” Brad Fittler said at the Origin II announcement on Monday night.
“We wish him all the best. Hopefully Michael Morgan’s pulled up okay.
“But, considering on the field they had time to scrutinise it, (the) video referees and referees found it okay to not even give it a penalty.”
