Jon Wilkin again calls out players for milking penalties as he praises Salford star’s reaction to high shot

Jon Wilkin is one of the most outspoken pundits in rugby league.

If he doesn’t like something, he calls it out and something he has been speaking about a lot this season is players milking penalties.

Wilkin has been critical of players for staying down to milk penalties such as when Konrad Hurrell was sent off form St Helens against Leeds Rhinos after a late hit on Konrad Hurrell.

He said of the moment:

“Richie Myler is not daft but if he has been hit late, Konrad Hurrell has hit him in the chin but that’s the kind of thing that goes unnoticed, that is something that doesn’t get picked up if you stay down.

“If you stay down, in the game of rugby league unfortunately that gets scrutinised.

“Konrad Hurrell has dropped his levels and put a shot on Richie Myler and just catches Richie Myler on the chin.

“He knows that if he stays down it will get looked at, if knows that if he stays down it will be looked at.”

So today when Chris Atkin was hit high and kept going, still being awarded the penalty, Wilkin was full of credit: “Can we pay credit to Atkin there?

“Because a lot of people have been milking that situation and making more of it.

“He has got hit high, he’s taken it and you know what his reaction was?

“To get up and play the ball. Love to see it. I love to see it.”