North Queensland Cowboys coach Neil Henry has hit out at the NRL match review panel describing charges to Johnathan Thurston and Tariq Sims from their weekend win over the Warriors as unnecessary and disruptive.
(Left: Cowboys football manager Peter Parr and Johnathan Thurston at Townsville airport)
Henry confirmed the pair have flown to Sydney to discuss the matter with legal representatives, with Thurston seeking to quash a grade two contrary conduct charge after his collision with referee Matt Cecchin and Sims hoping to downgrade a grade two dangerous conduct charge from an alleged crusher tackle on Krisnan Inu.
Henry says he must have been viewing different footage to what the match review panel saw when they laid a two week suspension on Thurston.
“I think I was as surprised as many people who have voiced their opinion in the media, that it even was charged” Henry said.
“We’ve had a good look at it and he hasn’t even got his eyes towards the referee.
“He’s chasing, and as we all know he’s one of the most instinctive players in the game and is often there to save tries and be thereabouts every time and he was playing his role and covering on the left hand side of the field.”
Henry says no one from the Cowboys gave the on-field collision another thought until the charge arose from the match review panel.
“We didn’t even talk about it, it wasn’t mentioned in the media, it was just something that he apologised for on the field and said are you okay and I think young Matt Cecchin was having a laugh about it at the kick-off,” Henry said.
You can listen to Neil Henry’s press conference below:
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