NRL 2022 trials: Wests Tigers’ James Tamou, Sydney Roosters’ Lindsay Collins fearing bans after ugly tackles
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Wests Tigers co-captain James Tamou and star Roosters prop Lindsay Collins are sweating on bans on the cusp of the NRL season after making tackles slammed as “awful”, “dangerous” and “ugly”.
Former NSW Blues front-rower Tamou was placed on report when he took out the legs of young halfback Sam Walker in erratic fashion early in the Tigers-Roosters trial, leading to the prodigy crashing into the Leichardt Oval turf head first.
Collins was then reported during the second half of the Roosters’ 16-8 defeat when he performed a cannonball tackle on Tigers five-eighth Jackson Hastings.
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Both Walker and Hastings happened to avoid injury, unlike young Eels winger Haze Dunster whose season was needed by a Tyrell Fuimaono hip-drop tackle last week.
Collins on report for cannonball tackle
Former NRL journeyman Michael Ennis roasted Tamou’s tackle.
“That’s dangerous, that’s really dangerous,” Ennis said on the Fox League broadcast.
“That is awful from James Tamou … How’s that not a sin-bin? It’s dangerous contact, could have broken his leg, he lands on his neck.
“I don’t know how he stays on the field.”
Walker was later ruled out following a failed head injury assessment after copping a knee from Kelma Tuilagi while making a tackle.
Ennis was just as scathing in his assessment of the Collins tackle.
“That’s awful. These are the ones where the player can’t do anything,” Ennis said on commentary.
“The two players holding him up and he just comes in from behind. [Hastings] can’t brace himself, it’s dangerous.
“If Jackson Hastings does his knee there – he’s in trouble, Collins.”
“He comes in like a missile, Collins, at the legs. It’s ugly, it’s really, really ugly.”
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