“As a result, he cannot fly home and is being driven back up to Brisbane today by our staff.
“We will be able to determine how much footy Reece will miss once the injury settles down and after we consult a specialist in coming days.
Taylan May gets into a scuffle during the Panthers big win over BrisbaneCredit: Getty Images
“Reece’s wellbeing is our priority and ensuring he is well looked after. We will get him safely back to Brisbane and then move forward.”
Walsh and several Broncos staffers are the only passengers on board the 50-seat team bus, which by chance made a rare trip to Sydney for the grand final rematch due to the team making multiple trips to and from Sydney airport, their Rooty Hill accommodation and Penrith’s home ground. Greyhound’s website says the bus trip between the NSW and Queensland capitals takes more than 16 hours.
Referee Gerard Sutton placed May on report because he felt he had a “duty of care” to bend further into the tackle and “avoid contact”.
Paul Gallen said on the Nine commentary he thought the tackle was “totally accidental” and he was “surprised he [May] was put on report”, but Brad Fittler said: “I think when you come in on someone’s blind side, you are responsible that you tackle below [the attacker’s] shoulders … it’s contact above the shoulders.”
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary was quick to defend his young centre and said he thought it was just a head clash.
“Nobody wants to see the best players go off – I thought it was an accident,” Cleary said.
“I actually thought he was trying to pull out of the tackle.
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“He was directly upright, which is not how you tackle. Had he bent down, which I think the bunker was suggesting he should have, he probably would have hit him in the head with his shoulder, which is not what you want. At the end of the day, Reece Walsh moves pretty fast, these things happen, it’s unfortunate for Reece, but I’m not too concerned about it.”
Nu Brown was sent off in the Super League for an accidental head clash last month.
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Source Agencies
