Souths coach Jason Demetriou has launched a tirade on hip drop tackles after his side were the victim of at least two in his side’s 50-16 win over the Bulldogs.
Demetriou believes Tevita Tatola copped a hip drop in the first two minutes of the game, while Izack Thompson came off with an ankle injury over a tackle in the 62nd minute that saw Jacob Preston sin-binned.
“Tevita Tatola took a hip drop early, I think there was a few hip drop tackles today,” Demetriou said in his press conference.
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Rabbitohs Press Conference | 06:43
“I think there was at least four of them in the game.
“We keep saying that it is not a problem in the game, but Izack Thompson, Junior Tatola today.
“If that tackle happens on the training field, I can guarantee you your teammates aren’t happy about it.
“Your own teammates are filthy if you do that to your fellow teammates. I don’t know why if we are not doing it at training, why are we bringing it on the field?”
Demetriou believes it is up to clubs and players as individuals to protect their fellow players or risk it coming back to bite them.
“I get there is some circumstances where it is an accident,” Demetriou said.
“Where there is some swing in the tackle I understand that.
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“But when you are side by side and you are losing your legs to drop your hips down, it is not a way to take people to ground. It is a lazy way.
“I think the game is doing a great job trying to do what they can. It is up to the clubs to show some onus on it because it is going to affect your team somewhere.
“You are going to lose a high quality player to a hip drop, which is a tackle that can be avoided in my opinion.
“We don’t practice it. There is no way that would happen at training. I can’t stress that point enough. It does not happen at training.
“Coaches and teammates would not let that happen, so I don’t know why that we are accepting that is OK on the field.”
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Canterbury Bulldogs Press Conference | 05:01
Demetriou believes players need to accept they are not always going to be in the best position in a tackle and to not resort to these illegal tactics.
“Partly I think it is just a poor habit,” Demetriou said.
“I think it is a habit that creeps in because you are trying to pull him down, but one of the things we talk about is keeping your feet in the collision as long as you can, so that you can get better control.
“But sometimes as a player you have got to accept that you are not in a great position, but to drop your hips on the back of someone’s legs.
Trell’s 150th marked with 3 min BRACE! | 00:55
“Look, I don’t think any player is going out there to do it intentionally. This is not me having a crack at anybody in particular or Canterbury.
“It is just as a game I think we can do a bit more to avoid it.”
Demetriou revealed Thompson will be sent for scans on his injured ankle.
“Izack will have to get some X-rays and go for some scans,” Demetriou said.
“He is hobbling a bit, but fingers crossed he is not too bad.”
