'Weird': Greats baffled as hip-drop drama erupts again

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A mates of rugby league legends were near baffled erstwhile Dolphins centre Euan Aitken escaped a punishment of immoderate benignant aft appearing to execute a hip-drop tackle connected Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak connected Saturday.

It looked arsenic though Aitken chopped Watene-Zelezniak down with a hip-drop tackle successful the Warriors' clash with the Dolphins successful Auckland, won by the New Zealand outfit 30-18, but referee Grant Atkins neither blew a punishment nor sent the Dolphins prima from the field.

In wide terms, a hip-drop tackle is constituted by a defender gripping the ball-carrier, swivelling, dropping their hips and landing their value connected the little fractional of the player's body. The tackle tin trap 1 oregon some of the ball-carrier's legs, causing superior injury.

The NRL has cracked down connected hip-drop tackles this season, showing small hesitation successful sin-binning players and handing retired dense suspensions.

Speaking astatine half-time of the Warriors' lucifer against the Dolphins, Cooper Cronk said the referee's determination to not penalise Aitkens was "a small spot weird".

"I deliberation the commentators were a small perplexed by it and I'm perplexed," Crook said connected the Fox League coverage.

"DWZ has got momentum, he's gone done the tackle. Aitken has mislaid the tackle, turned around, mislaid feet.

"I'm not definite wherever that sits."

Mal Meninga was besides astounded by the referee's decision.

"I deliberation it's a hip-drop," said the rugby league Immortal connected the Fox League broadcast.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is tackled by Euan Aitken. (Fox League)

"I deliberation he'll beryllium charged and (receive) immoderate benignant of punishment connected that.

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"He rather easy could person dropped his hands. He could person rather easy wrapped his arms astir the little portion of the legs.

"That's a definite hip-drop."

Cronk said Aitken should person spent 10 minutes disconnected the field.

"I deliberation it's a sin-bin," said the Storm and Roosters champion.

"DWZ, due to the fact that he's not injured arsenic much, played on, which is good.

"But from what we've been utilized to, that's a sin-bin."

The Warriors lone led 6-4 astatine half-time but dominated aft the break, moving successful 4 tries to the visitors' one.

The circular 14 lucifer saw Shaun Johnson and Watene-Zelezniak container a treble each arsenic Luke Metcalf crossed for a effort of his own, portion Tesi Niu and Jamayne Isaako scored tries for the Dolphins.

The fixture marked the Dolphins' archetypal lucifer extracurricular Australia.

The Warriors volition conscionable the Raiders successful Canberra adjacent Friday night, portion the Dolphins volition look the Manly Sea Eagles astatine Brookvale Oval connected the aforesaid night.

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