NRL360 co-host Paul Kent has called for Panthers trainer Pete Green to be rubbed out of the grand final as rugby league legend John Cartwright has urged the NRL to hand down a life ban.
Green reportedly sledged former Penrith player Jed Cartwright during Saturday’s preliminary final, referencing a number of back injuries the Rabbitohs backrower suffered during his time at the foot of the mountain.
Souths playmaker Cody Walker leapt to the defence of his teammate post-match and had to be restrained by teammates Cameron Murray and Davvy Moale.
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John, Jed’s father, called for the Panthers physiotherapist to be banned “for life”, explaining you shouldn’t have to “cop sledges” from someone outside the opposition’s 17 players.
“It’s the lowest act in the game – the lowest of the low. That’s not on. You shouldn’t have to cop any sledge off a f…ing trainer,” Cartwright said to The Daily Telegraph.
“The game is hard enough without copping it from someone you can’t have a crack back at. It’s the height of being a coward.
“If there’s a bloke out there running with privilege, and he is privileged to be doing the job that he does, but if he’s sledging opposition players, then, as I said, he should be barred for life. I thought Jed had a great game – he didn’t deserve that.
Fox League’s James Hooper revealed Green was the physio tasked with treating Cartwright’s back problems — and Kent echoed his dad’s sentiment.
“He was treating him for a medical condition as a physio, and he was sledging him about it during the game,” Kent said on NRL360 on Monday night.
“As John Cartwright says, a player shouldn’t have to cop a sledge off some bloke running a water bottle.
“The trainer should not be allowed to say one word to the opposition… he should be out of this week straight away.”
“The trainer should shut up, he has nothing to do with the game, why is he talking to a first grade rugby league player while on the field,” NRL 360 host Braith Anasta added.
Walker didn’t hesitate to give the Penrith trainer a piece of his mind as he was whisked away by a pair of Panthers officials and Kent praised the five-eighth for backing his teammate up.
Green was also at the centre of a finals furore last season and was handed a $25,000 fine for illegally stopping play to treat Mitch Kenny during the Panthers’ clash with the Eels.
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With five minutes remaining, Brad Arthur’s side were on a roll hoping to score, but eventually went down 8-6.
The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield revealed Green isn’t the only Panthers member of staff that pushes the boundaries.
Former Panther Shane Elford, who works as a trainer, was spotted in a verbal battle with Eels hooker Reed Mahoney in the first week of finals this season which Rothfield labelled “unnecessary”.
“Shane Elford gives Reed Mahoney a spray week one of the finals, there he is, Reed Mahoney having a crack back, it is unnecessary,” Rothfield said.
“I know the tactical point, try and get them off their game, Reed Mahoney, good on him, told him to shove it up the you know what,” Kent said.
“Why do they deserve to be there… nothing should have been said.
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