NRL legend Andrew Johns has continued his crusade against the third-man-in tackle, with Brad Schneider facing a nervous wait to see whether he’s banned from the Panthers’ preliminary final. Schneider was placed on report during the Panthers’ win over the Bulldogs on Sunday, and is facing the prospect of being rubbed out of the grand final qualifier against the Broncos.
The Panthers utility dived at the legs of Sitili Tupouniua while two Panthers players were holding him upright – a much-maligned act that’s been banned by the NRL in recent years. However players keep falling into the trap of committing them because they’re not outlawed completely.
Brad Schneider (second from left) is facing the prospect of being banned from the NRL preliminary final after Andrew Johns (R) blasted his tackle. Image: Getty
Players are allowed to be the third-man-in so long as the contact isn’t too forceful and they hit above the thighs. But according to Johns, the practice needs to be eradicated completely.
“I hate this tackle,” Johns said in commentary for Channel 9 after the Schneider incident. “They need to get that tackle out of the game. If there’s two men in the tackle, you should not be allowed to have a third man come in and dive at the knees.
“That’s horrible. There’s got to be severe punishment. If you have two players in the tackle and the momentum is stopped, you should not allow another player to come in. I don’t care if they hit above the knees or above the waist. It’s outright dangerous.”
Brad Schneider was put on report for diving at Sitili Tupouniua’s knees. Image: Channel 9
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Brad Schneider could be rubbed out of NRL preliminary final
It’s not the first time this season that Johns has made similar comments. If the NRL takes notice and dishes out a ‘severe punishment’ like Johns is calling for, Schneider could be facing the prospect of being banned from the preliminary final – and the grand final as well should the Panthers advance.
Cowboys forward Coen Hess copped a three-game ban for a similar tackle late in the season, while teammate Karl Lawton has received two separate two-game bans for the same act. Working in Schneider’s favour is the fact it would seemingly be his first offence, whereas Hess and Lawton are repeat offenders.
Schneider has become a vital member of Ivan Cleary’s team, playing 22 minutes off the bench against the Bulldogs on Sunday. He covers the halves and can also play hooker, coming on to give Mitch Kenny a rest on Sunday on his return from a hamstring injury. Schneider was an unused bench player in the grand final last year.
Liam Martin and Casey McLean dismiss injury concerns
Meanwhile, Liam Martin and Casey McLean have both ensured Panthers fans they’ll be right for the prelim. Martin sent a huge scare through the Panthers’ camp late in their 46-26 win over Canterbury when he copped a heavy knock from Viliame Kikau.
The State of Origin star stayed down for some time before leaving the field, but has insisted he was only winded. “They’re all right now,” he said of his ribs. “There was a bit of carry on there. It’s a bit sore at the moment, but they’re alright. I landed on the ball, and ‘Kiks’ is a pretty big man and he landed on me. I was a bit winded but I’m alright now.”
McLean suffering a hip-pointer injury and also left the field early. But the teenage centre also played down any concerns after the match, confident he would be fine to take on Brisbane.
“I just landed on it funny, I got up and it was a bit sore,” McLean told AAP. “I was probably just being a bit soft.”