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Ex-player says Morgan Knowles’ tackle technique “makes him a grub”

The hip drop tackle is one that’s causing plenty of debate at the moment due to the sheer danger and likelihood of injury that it brings to the sport and last night Morgan Knowles was hit with a five match ban for one.

During Rivals Round we saw plenty of them and whilst some saw pundits question how defenders can make such quick adjustments, others were far more critical.

The most notable hip-drop tackle this weekend came on Good Friday in the Wigan Saints derby and the consequence of it has been that Wigan prop Mike Cooper is set for 9-12 months on the sideline with an ACL injury.

Not only is that a season-ending injury but it could well be a career ending injury given Cooper is 34 and will be 35 by the time next season comes around.

One man who has since come out to offer his well wishes, but also condemn the tackling style is Huddersfield Giants’ Jermaine McGillvary.

The veteran winger has been in and out of the side this season but was injured at the end of last season and he’s highlighted that the tackle was almost a carbon copy of the one that has ruled out Cooper.

McGillvary was out for six months as a result of his and he’s passionately tweeted about the need to outlaw such tackle technique.

Having wished Cooper a speedy recovery the Huddersfield man went on a tirade about the style of tackle and the need for the game to remove it.

“Honestly these tackles need to be outlawed….absolutely disgraceful. I know the feeling too well having been on the end of one last season which left me out for more than 6months,” McGillvary tweeted.

McGillvary has got his wish with a big ban coming the way of Knowles as the RFL take a hard stance on the game.

Responding to McGillvary’s Tweet, former St Helens star Keith Mason also slammed the tackle saying he knows what he is doing and the tackle technique makes him “a grub.”

He said:

“It’s identical to the tackle on Mike Cooper. The guy knows exactly what he’s doing, I don’t care how good or aggressive he is, that makes him a grub, and don’t come back to me with no stepping on toes with rubber studs.”

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