St George Illawarra Dragons’ Tyrell Fuimaono sin-binned, reported for ugly tackle on Parramatta Eels’ Haze Dunster
The Eels are bracing for rotten news on talented winger Haze Dunster and the Dragons are sweating on the availability of gun second-rower Tyrell Fuimaono, after the latter performed a hip-drop tackle in a trial match on Sunday night.
Three players were sin-binned in the Dragons’ 26-22 win over the Eels at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium, including Tautau Moga and Ryan Matterson, but the Fuimaono incident threatens to cause the most severe fallout of the lot.
Fuimaono wrestled Dunster to ground with a hip-drop tackle in the 14th minute, leading to the referee sin-binning the 25-year-old and placing him on report.
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He’s now waiting to hear from the match review committee on Monday as he fears missing the start of the season.
The Eels are worried the Fuimaono tackle left Dunster with ligament damage and said he’d undergo a scan on Monday.
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur told Fox League that he expected the youngster to “be out for a little while”.
Eels hit the board early
Former NRL journeyman Braith Anasta suggested Fuimaono shouldn’t be concerned.
“I actually don’t think that was intentional,” Anasta said.
“I don’t think it was a stereotypical hip-drop (tackle), I don’t think he meant it, he was just trying to get him to the ground.
“But he has a bad reputation, he has a bad record.”
Fuimaono received a five-match ban for a sickening high shot on Melbourne fullback Ryan Papenyhuyzen in Magic Round last season.
Former Panthers captain Greg Alexander joined Anasta in backing Fuimaono over his tackle on Dunster.
“He did throw himself at the legs, (but) Dunster, the way he ran, he almost dragged Fuimaono around with him,” Alexander said.
“He hit and spun. Technically, it was a hip-drop (tackle), but I think there are mitigating circumstances there for Tyrell Fuimaono.”
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