NRL fans have called out a worrying trend involving Reece Walsh after the Kangaroos star avoided suspension for the third time in the last seven weeks. Walsh was sin-binned for collecting Dom Young in the head with his shoulder in the second Ashes Test between Australia and England.
Young was contesting a bomb in the in-goal when Walsh arrived very late. The ball was already gone when Walsh decided to jump towards Young, making no attempt to wrap his arms and hitting the England winger in the head with his shoulder.
Reece Walsh has now avoided suspension for the third time in the last seven weeks. Image: Getty
Walsh was given his marching orders for the late hit and ordered to spend 10 minutes in the sin-bin. But the international match review panel decided the sin-binning was a sufficient enough punishment, and didn’t even charge the Kangaroos fullback in the aftermath.
Some felt Walsh should have been suspended for the dangerous act, but he wasn’t even cited or fined. A statement from the International Rugby League said: “The international match review panel (Paul Cullen RFL, Luke Patten NRL) have reviewed Saturday’s match and accepted all on-field decisions. Therefore no incidents have been deemed sufficient to warrant further action under the international rules in operation for this series.”
NRL fans fume as Reece Walsh avoids ban again
It was the third instance of Walsh narrowly avoiding suspension in the last two months, and fans are heavily divided. The star fullback escaped a ban for head-butting Hudson Young in the Broncos’ win over Canberra in the first week of the NRL finals seven weeks ago.
He also avoided suspension for a shoulder charge to the head of Melbourne Storm winger Xavier Coates in the NRL grand final. The incident with Coates was slightly similar to the one involving Young, as Walsh made no attempt to wrap his arms and made forceful contact to the head with his shoulder.
Reece Walsh arrived very late and hit Dom Young in the head with his shoulder. Image: Getty
Walsh was binned for head-butting Young, but was allowed to stay on the field after the Coates incident. He was fined by the NRL match review committee for both. The fact he’s now escaped a ban for the third time in a matter of weeks has left fans fuming, with many pointing out he’s unlikely to change his tackling technique if he keeps getting off.
One person wrote on social media this week: “Course he is (free to play), the guy is untouchable.” Another person wrote: “Unbelievable. At least he received a yellow unlike in the GF where he deserved one as well.”
A third added: “Nothing for a head-butt in the finals so not unexpected. Protected species.” Others labelled it a “joke” that he avoided being banned for the third Ashes Test, however many more felt his actions didn’t deserve a suspension. One person commented: “It shouldn’t have been a sin bin, it’s barely a penalty.”
RELATED:
Reece Walsh might miss third Ashes Test anyway
Despite avoiding suspension, there’s every chance Walsh misses the third and final Test anyway. The Kangaroos have already won the series, and coach Kevin Walters has the option of using some of his wider squad members who haven’t played yet.
It means Walsh might make way for Dylan Edwards, with Mitch Moses, Ethan Strange, Bradman Best, Blayke Brailey and Jacob Preston all a chance to play. “It would be nice to reward some guys,” Walters said on Saturday night. “It’s been a great connection amongst the whole group – particularly with our training and preparation. Part of that is the [squad] guys we’ve been training against have been very, very good.”