Melbourne captain Cameron Smith should be rubbed out for a month for his alleged wishbone tackle on Gold Coast forward Kevin Proctor, according to rugby league great Phil Gould.
Smith is facing a maximum two-match NRL ban for his tackle on Proctor, and his is one of eight charges laid by the match review committee from the three NRL matches on Saturday.
Smith drew a grade-two dangerous contact charge after pulling Proctor's left leg in a 47th minute tackle that forced his former Storm teammate from the field with a groin injury.
Gould described it as a disgraceful tackle and symptomatic of their perceived wrestling techniques.
"When Melbourne started the third man in the tackle - hold up top and get a third man into the legs - I said, 'Cut that out, that's going to be nothing but problems for everybody'," Gould said on Channel Nine.
"It's caused a lot of injuries and I don't like it... that's a terrible tackle. It should've been a month off."
Fellow commentator and rugby league immortal Andrew Johns said it was dangerous.
"He grabs him at the leg and twists him around. If it was done to his arm, a chicken wing, Cameron would've had a month on the sideline," Johns said.
"I know Cameron's come out and said it wasn't deliberate, but it's dangerous."
The Australian and Queensland captain can reduce the suspension to one match with an early plea, however he defended his tackle after the match.
"I spoke to Kevvy after the game to see how he was going, said I had no intention to hurt him and he was very grateful for me to come over," Smith said.
"Whatever happens out of this game or that tackle, I've got absolutely no control over ... all I can say is I'm not here to try and hurt the bloke."
Melbourne prop Sam Kasiano is in danger of a one-match ban after being deemed to have made dangerous contact in his tackle of Titans forward Jarrod Wallace.
The other two charges against Melbourne players went to Cameron Munster and Josh Addo-Carr, both of whom can escape suspensions for grade-one dangerous contact on Brenko Lee.
Warriors pair Bunty Afoa and Jazz Tevaga both attracted dangerous contact citings from their team's loss to the Sydney Roosters but can escape suspension with early guilty pleas.
Roosters prop Dylan Napa was charged twice - once for a careless high tackle that drew a fine, and another for dangerous contact on Afoa in the final minute of the match.
He too can avoid suspension with an early guilty plea.
Australian Associated Press
