Walsh to escape ban unless he fights fine for this hit

Reece Walsh is facing a potential two-match ban if he appeals a grade one shoulder charge offence after his effort on Daniel Tupou during the Roosters win.

The match review committee has handed Walsh a $3,000 fine if he accepts the early guilty plea but if he appeals and is found guilty at the judiciary panel, he could be banned for two matches.

Walsh was penalised for the shot in the 45th minute of the game, after he sprinted across to the wing and stopped Tupou from scoring.

The Roosters were then handed a penalty but Walsh stayed on the field.

Reece Walsh was penalised for his shoulder charge on Daniel Tupou.

Upon reviewing the footage, rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns initially said “no way” on Nine’s coverage when asked if there’d be punishment.

Billy Slater, who famously was cleared of a grade one shoulder charge in 2018 after facing a ban from the grand final, was uncertain around any punishment for Walsh.

“I’m not sure … it’s not up to us, it’s how they (the match review committee) see it. I don’t even know how you rule on these thing these days. I’ve been caught in the position before,” he said before arguing it’s “the safest” mode of contact in that situation.

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“It’s a really tough situation because you’re heading at top speed and so is Daniel Tupou and you’re heading for the same blade of grass so to head to the same point at a 90 degree angle and try and make a conventional tackle is actually not a duty of care to yourself, you’re more of a chance of knocking yourself out than anything else.

“To actually create contact that doesn’t actually make any head contact is the safest way to make an impact.

“… The first thing you think about is getting to the position … you’re sprinting and then in a split second you’ve got to make a decision on what sort of tackle you’re going to make. That is so tough.”

Former Brisbane Broncos, Queensland and Kangaroos fullback Darren Lockyer argued it’s the “natural instinct” to approach the tackle in the manner.

“Your first thought and your only thought is to save the try and that’s your natural instinct to do that, that’s normally the most force you can create,” he said.

“Where it gets dangerous is obviously where the shoulder hits the head, that’s when it’s an issue in the game but it’s very hard for someone in that position to make a conventional tackle.”