Sydney Roosters star Cooper Cronk happy with NRL policies surrounding late hits on playmakers
He may have been subjected to one such hit, but Sydney Roosters star Cooper Cronk says he has no problem with how the NRL is policing late "dog shots".
Cronk was flattened by Broncos enforcer Tevita Pangai Jr in Round 4, with the hit so brutal it landed Pangai Jr a two-match ban and caused NRL legends Andrew Johns and Johnathan Thurston to fume.
However, speaking to reporters following the incident, Cronk said he didn't understand the uproar over the incident.
"I don't understand what all the noise is about it," Cronk said.
Cronk said he was happy with the current policies surrounding late shots on playmakers AAP
"I have absolute faith in the officials and the judiciary. At the end of the day there's rules in place like anything else, if it's a high tackle (or) a spear tackle, if there's rules that are broken, then you face the punishment."
However Cronk is decidedly in the minority when it comes to this particular topic.
Speaking to Macquarie Sports Radio, Wests Tigers half Josh Reynolds fired up over the targeting of playmakers.
"There’s not one tough thing about hitting someone when they’re not looking," Reynolds said.
Pangai Jr was slapped with a two-match ban from the NRL Judiciary for his hit on Cronk AAP
"I don’t care what anyone says, the best players to ever play this game are saying it, it’s not about protecting them, you just don’t do it.
"You’re big, you’re tough, you’re strong and you’ll have chances to show that, but targeting someone that’s 20 kilograms less weight, it’s not tough.
"At the Tigers we’re all about pressuring them, but there’s definitely a line.
"I think sometimes it might give a team a bit of a lift even if the halfback goes off, but I definitely don’t think it’s good the game, especially when they kick and they go for the legs, it’s literally got danger written all over it.
"The NRL Judiciary took a stamp on Pangai this week and that might stop them."
