Melbourne Storm star Harry Grant will front the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night to contest his controversial grade one dangerous contact charge.
It’s a move that’s hugely supported by NRL 360 co-host James Graham, who said this week he is “delighted” the club is fighting the charge given how harsh it was.
Grant was sin binned in the Storm’s Round 10 loss to the Sharks for making contact with Daniel Atkinson’s leg while the Sharks five-eighth got a kick away.
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The shocked look on Grant’s face summed up how most fans, pundits and ex-players felt about the decision made by referee Grant Atkins.
Many slammed the decision given Grant merely brushed Atkinson’s leg.
NRL 360 host Braith Anasta called it “embarrassing”, while veteran News Corp journalist Phil Rothfield said it was “the most pathetic sin-binning I’ve ever seen on a rugby league field.”
Anasta, on Monday night, questioned whether there’s any “common sense” left in the game and called for more consistency after the incident was compared to one a week earlier when Dolphins playmaker Kodi Nikorima made contact with Scott Drinkwater when he was attempting a field goal.
Nikorima was not penalised and he escaped sanction by the Match Review Committee.
Grant, on the other hand, was hit with a grade one dangerous contact charge which carries a $1,000 fine.
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“I was a bit shocked,” Grant said after the game.
“I had no intention of going in with any intent to hurt ‘Atko’, I just went to put kick pressure on, which is a big part of the game.
“I was going to put kick pressure on and turned away from him to not make contact.
“We can’t lose kick pressure in the game. It’s a big part of the game.”
Grant is challenging the charge at the Judiciary. He is at no risk of missing any games — if he fails his fine will just increase to $1,500.
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Source Agencies
