Last night’s clash between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos may have been decided by a Blake Austin drop goal but there were some key decisions which led up to it including former Rhino Konrad Hurrell’s red card.
The centre was sent off for a late hit on Richie Myler and for making contact with the head.
It led to the position that Austin would kick his drop goal from and Myler was key in causing the havoc that led to the try.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Jon Wilkin said Myler “is not daft” suggesting that he stayed down purposefully to spotlight the impact from Hurrell which had him sent off.
It may evoke memories of an incident where Myler was accused of doing something similar last season against Huddersfield Giants.
Wilkin said: “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.”
After the game, Leeds boss Rohan Smith had his say on the matter:
“I haven’t seen the Hurrell one, I was watching the ball. It was also the third time that someone got hit late. I haven’t looked at any of them.
“I thought it was a great game. It was a phenomenal effort.
“What they have done going to Australia and coming back and beating Cas last night showed the class they have we needed every bit of energy tonight.”
