Jack Bird is facing disciplinary action after being reported for an unpleasant incident involving the hair of Newcastle’s Phoenix Crossland.
A series of skirmishes towards the end of the first half between the Wests Tigers and the Knights escalated tensions, drawing both teams in close proximity.
With just over a minute remaining, Royce Hunt and Mat Croker engaged in a fierce encounter at a scrum situated at halfway, resulting in a penalty for Hunt.
Jack Bird pulls the hair of Phoenix Crossland. Fox League
“Hunt was just trying to run the clock down a bit, playing the role of the agitator in the scrum,” commented Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach on Fox League.
The very next tackle after the kick for touch saw Croker and Hunt collide once more, resulting in Croker losing possession when he attempted to get back to his feet.
This caused both teams to engage again, with Bird and Crossland at the epicentre of the fracas.
However, Bird was not put on report until the start of the second half, with the Bunker having detected the incident.
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In an earlier moment of the match, Jarome Luai played a pivotal role in the Tigers’ opening try, setting up Jeral Skelton for a score in the corner.
Adam Doueihi further built on the lead with a penalty goal in the 28th minute, leaving the score at 8-0 as the teams headed into half-time.
Knights coach Adam O’Brien was visibly frustrated in the box throughout the first half and undoubtedly delivered a strong message to his team during the break.
Whatever he said seemed to have a positive effect, as the Knights emerged from the sheds as the stronger side.
Fletcher Sharpe was the first to score post-break, followed by Greg Marzhew who put the Knights ahead in the 66th minute. Newcastle ultimately triumphed with a final score of 10-8.
Overall, the Knights recorded 15 errors compared to the Tigers’ seven. A notable statistic against the Tigers was their missed tackles, which accumulated to a staggering 50.
The Knights are set to face the Dolphins next week, while the Tigers will do battle against the Eels on Sunday, March 15. Wests are likely to have Bird available, considering past precedents for similar offences.
The issue of hair-pulling has received significant attention in recent years. Blake Lawrie narrowly escaped suspension last year, receiving an $1800 fine for a similar incident involving Josh Aloiai. Tyson Frizell faced no charges in 2023 despite being controversially penalised for pulling the hair of Jarome Luai. Additionally, former Knights captain Hannah Southwell received a warning after a hair-pulling incident during the 2023 NRLW grand final.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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