Jordan Rapana has received 18 stitches to a gory head wound while Brisbane’s Martin Taupau avoided any charge for the controversial contact that split the Raiders fullback open.
Rapana travelled back to Canberra on Sunday morning following Saturday’s 20-14 upset of the ladder-leading Broncos, in which he was taken from the field on a Medicab after a heavy collision with Taupau.
The Canberra winger was in obvious distress after Taupau accidentally kneed him in the back of the head, with blood pouring from a gruesome gash onto the Suncorp Stadium turf.
The 77th-minute penalty against Taupau proved pivotal to Canberra holding out the Broncos, with referee Grant Atkins explaining that; “Marty’s hands are well above, but he put his knees in a careless position and it was a careless action”.
Taupau was placed on report. The player and opposing coaches Ricky Stuart and Kevin Walters all stressed the contact was accidental, and it was announced on Sunday he will face no further sanction from the Match Review Committee.
Rapana will be unavailable for Canberra’s round 7 clash against St George Illawarra under the NRL’s mandatory 11-day stand down for category one concussions, while Brisbane’s Tom Flegler will miss their next game against the Titans on the same grounds.
Jordan Rapana left bloodied and shaken against Brisbane.Credit: NRL Imagery
Taupau will be free to play the Gold Coast and checked on Rapana’s welfare after full-time, having earlier told ABC radio he considered the official’s reasoning for citing the contact as ‘pretty ridiculous’.
“There definitely wasn’t any malice in that,” Taupau said.
“Obviously, in a contact sport you’re trying to do your very best to stay within the rules.
“I feel pretty saddened obviously with the injury he’s gotten out of that, but … in that instance, what do I do?
“Obviously there’s every intention of me trying to make a legal tackle … it was an accident, but yeah, what do you do? That’s the question.
“Obviously your arms are higher than your knees. What would you expect me to do? Make a tackle upside down?
“Honestly, I’m baffled. I don’t know what to do.
“Do you want me to dive head first into the ground and try and tackle the ankles? More injuries will come from that.”
Penrith’s Mitch Kenny was charged with a careless high tackle on Manly’s Kelma Tuilagi, but can avoid missing any game time by paying a $3000 fine.
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