The Paasi one, the more I think about it the more I think the answer to that is yes. It takes effort to get that low, that wasn’t wrapping the legs of a player running forward. That was a forceful attack at a knee. He got away with several others during the game and gradually got worse and worse each time. It wasn’t a one off, that was the 4th time in the same game. As a one off there’s a reasonable argument to say he simply got it wrong, mistimed, fatigue etc. That wasn’t the case.

There has been a lot of focus, rightly so, on contact at knee or lower leg. It is something players are fully aware of yet he still did it over and over again. It was an absolute shocker IMO and I fully support the comments of Wellens and Wilkin on the subject.

That's sick.

“What I would say is no coach or player wants players to suffer serious injuries but injuries are part and parcel of the sport. Ours is a collision sport and things can go wrong at times.”


Paul Wellens on Knowles horrific hip drop on Cooper.

But he's not saying he meant to injure anyone is he, he's questioning the technique (and rightly so as evidenced by 4nr injuries in the same game). He did say that about Knowles, yes. To my memory though he had no issue with the ban. That's the issue here...by there being "no case to answer" is basically saying that it's fine and within the laws of the game. The fact that Asiata puts himself at huge (arguably stupid) personal risk of a bad head knock is secondary.

But he's not saying he meant to injure anyone is he, he's questioning the technique (and rightly so as evidenced by 4nr injuries in the same game). He did say that about Knowles, yes. To my memory though he had no issue with the ban. That's the issue here...by there being "no case to answer" is basically saying that it's fine and within the laws of the game. The fact that Asiata puts himself at huge (arguably stupid) personal risk of a bad head knock is secondary.

James Bell with two similar looking tackles tonight. I could fully understand why Wellens was frustrated in the week but Bell hasn’t half made him look a bit silly tonight. Only way around it for Wellens is to say he’ll be talking to him about it or style it out and just say ‘it’s legal, so we’ll be going with them going forward’.

Was going to post the same. The one I saw from Bell, he hit the hip/midriff of Austin(?) so was lucky

2nd one was on the hip/thigh, so not too bad but the first was pretty much a carbon copy. No control of his body, risking his own safety and not able to ensure he wouldn’t injure his opponent. Wellens calls it out now or admits he doesn’t give a flyer but ignore it and he looks daft.

Just seen the other one online, didnt look good considering Wellen's previous comments. Bet he wont mention tonight unless questioned

Nothing at all in the post match but I can let him off on that (as he’s unlikely to have seen them). Once he sees them in the review, I’m sure he’ll call them out in his mid week press conference

Sky should have shown them to him and asked his opinion.

Then again, why would sky sports red vee put him in a tough spot

What’s sick is that after finishing 2 players seasons and injuring 2 others last week when still continues this week and attempts to kneecap Dupree. Only goes to prove what I said.