South Sydney‘s Taane Milne is set to face severe ramifications for an alleged low act during the final moments of the Rabbitohs‘ crushing defeat against the Storm. When only nine seconds remained in the game, with the Rabbitohs behind by 54-20, Milne reportedly tackled Cam Munster from the Storm with a reckless head-on, cannonball-like attempt, aiming directly at Munster’s legs.
The tackle on Munster took place while he was held in a group tackle by three other Rabbitohs players. Milne’s choice to intervene at such a point resulted in a swift penalty from the adjudicators. His controversial move invited the Storm‘s Joe Chan, who rushed in to extricate Milne from the situation, taking him by the collar.
Rabbitohs‘ coach, Jason Demetriou, did not mince words when questioned about the incident post match. He lamented that the event was a disappointing finale to an already dismal night. While he believed Milne was trying to join the fray but got toppled instead, he acknowledged his frustration with the way the match concluded.
The NRL match review is expected to disclose its judiciary charges in relation to the incident on Friday, enlightening Milne about his future in the game. A multitude of fans believe Milne deserves rigorous disciplinary action.
Describing the incident as a “terrible, terrible effort,” Storm legend Cooper Cronk criticised Milne’s tackle on Fox League. He further emphasised the potential for such a move to cause grievous harm, hyperextension, and possible long-term issues, such as ACL injuries.
NSW State of Origin veteran, Michael Ennis expressed his disapproval by labeling the act “viciously dangerous” and criticising Milne’s intent. He emphasised the unnecessary nature of the action and expressed agreement with the referees sin-binning Milne.
Dan Ginnane from Fox League drew attention to Milne’s well-known record of dangerous and careless tackles, anticipating that the outcome of the incident might be severe. Greg Alexander, a former great with the Panthers, conjectured that Milne may be facing a significant suspension, highlighting the close call with a possible serious injury to Munster.
Scott Bailey, an AAP journalist took to Twitter to chastise Milne’s “woeful” effort which risked injuring Munster and potentially subjected him to an extensive ban.