Ivan Cleary calls out Roosters star's illegal act against Nathan Cleary that went unpunished
NRL coach Ivan Cleary has defended his son, Nathan Cleary, following a sin-binning incident during a match against the Roosters. He argued that a similar dangerous play by James Tedesco went unpunished, highlighting inconsistencies in officiating.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing debates regarding player safety rules and the consistency of disciplinary actions in professional rugby league.
Ivan Cleary declared that son Nathan shouldn't be banned for his incident with Hugo Savala on Sunday before pointing out that James Tedesco did the same thing on Nathan earlier in the first half. Nathan Cleary was sin-binned in the Panthers' 19-12 victory over the Roosters that sent them into another NRL preliminary final .
The superstar halfback made contact with Savala's leg after he kicked the ball, which amounts to dangerous contact. The match review committee ruled it a Grade 1 charge on Monday and he got off with a $1000 fine , but a Grade 2 charge would have been a one-game suspension (or two with an unsuccessful judiciary challenge).
Ivan Cleary pointed out that James Tedesco dived at Nathan Cleary's legs while kicking. Image: Getty/Fox League
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