Parramatta’s Haze Dunster is calling on the NRL to eradicate hip-drop tackles from the game as he inches closer to a return after missing the entire 2022 season with a sickening leg injury suffered in the trials.
Big things were expected of the young winger after he claimed rookie of the year honours at the Eels in 2021, but his hopes of cementing a spot in the first grade side ended in devastating fashion as a result of one of the ugliest tackles possible.
It was nearly a year ago to the day that his season ended when St George Illawarra’s Tyrell Fuimaono twisted him in a tackle and landed on the back of his leg, rupturing Dunster’s anterior, medial and posterior ligaments.
Fuimaono was banned for five matches, but Dunster wants lengthier bans imposed for a tackle that can have dire consequences.
Brisbane’s Patrick Carrigan was banned for four games for a tackle that ended Jackson Hastings’ season, while the NFL is looking to outlaw the tackle after Cowboys star Tony Pollard broke his leg in the playoffs.
“It is pretty dangerous and it’s something the NRL needs to look at,” Dunster told NCA NewsWire.
“It can be hard in the heat of the game because defenders are trying to get the player down, so I can understand how it can happen without anyone trying to do it.
“He (Fuimaono) was really apologetic when it happened and I knew he didn’t mean to do it. It could have happened to anyone, but it was crazy that it was him of all people.
“But the tackle needs to be pushed out of the game because you can see just how bad the consequences can be.”
Dunster had hoped to play in Friday’s trial against Hastings and the Knights, but physios want him to strengthen the leg a little more before he’s cleared to return.
The 23-year-old says he’s in no rush and is more than happy to wait another couple of weeks after spending months in a rehab group that included just him and Ray Stone.
“It made me realise how much I missed it,” he said.
“I thought at first that it might be good to have a couple of months off, but then it hit me how long I was actually going to be out for and made me so grateful to be back.
“I was on a bike for a couple of weeks so I could get a full range of motion again. I was in a brace for 4-6 weeks to help me try to walk normally again, and once I got that off, it was another process trying to walk normally without it.
“I had to put back on all the muscle. It felt really weird at first but it got better once natural instincts took over.”
The physical aspect of recovery was hard, but Dunster said the mental side of rehab was much tougher, as the reality of the injury set in.
“It took a few weeks to get over it,” he said.
“I didn’t watch any games of footy for the first few weeks because it hurt so much.
“It was pretty tough to deal with, but once I accepted the facts, all I could do was look forward to the challenges of getting right again and ready for the next season. It was more of a mental battle than a physical battle.”
