Joseph Tapine in action for the Warriors during the Telstra NRL Premiership. Photo: PhotoSport / Brett Phibbs
Canberra captain Joe Tapine is among three Raiders charged from Sunday's win over the Warriors in New Zealand, after which coach Ricky Stuart warned against trying to punish aggression out of rugby league.
The Raiders' aggressive style, particularly through the middle of the field with their powerful forward pack, has sparked them in multiple games this year, including a controversial Magic Round win over Melbourne and the 16-10 victory over the Warriors that sent them into second spot on the ladder.
Kiwis star Tapine was among the chief antagonists at Mt Smart Stadium, put on report for a crusher tackle and a shoulder charge, and mocking the Warriors with a crying gesture after a penalty.
After the game, Stuart rejected suggestions his team overstepped the mark with their aggression.
"We keep getting told this game's about entertainment, and that was an entertaining game tonight," he said in the post-match press conference.
"We can't discipline aggression because our game and broadcasters promote aggression. We've got to be real careful that we don't scrutinise aggressive actions in a game that is moulded on pure aggression and passion.
"On Wednesday night, we've got one of the most special games in our calendar happening and it has created its profile and culture and passion, Origin, through aggression
"I'm not at all promoting foul play. I'm dead against foul play. I've said before, you get a lot of accidental high shots with the speed and intensity of our game and there's a penalty given. I get that, that's fine.
"But don't go penalising with match review committees, we can't go willy-nilly bashing players for aggression because you need it in our game. If we want to keep calling ourselves an entertaining game and getting the broadcasters' money, then aggression's a big part of it."
Tapine was cited over a shoulder charge on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and can accept a $3,000 fine with an early guilty plea or risk a two-match ban if he goes to the judiciary.
It was Tapine's second such charge against the Warriors this year, after accepting a two-match ban for a round-one shot on Mitch Barnett.
Unlike his captain, Tom Starling is set for a stint on the sidelines this time after being hit with a grade-two dangerous contact charge for a late tackle on Chanel Harris-Tavita that sent Starling to the sin-bin for the final few minutes of the game.
Starling can accept a one-week suspension or risk two games if he fights and loses, while Corey Horsburgh can accept a $1800 fine for the tackle on Marata Niukore that saw him sin-binned, and Warriors prop Jacob Laban can take a $1000 fine for his dangerous contact charge on Horsburgh.
- ABC
