With every season of NRL comes a new controversy and with 2023 comes the hip-drop tackle.
Hip-drop tackles are causing penalties and sin-bins across the NRL and for good reason. Currently with a rate of one hip-drop charge in every five games in 2023 the tackles must go says NRL legend Matthew Johns.
Many clubs are hitting out at the NRL for their strict stance on the tackles but Johns says he backs them "100 percent" talking on SEN 1170 The Round Up.
“I do believe in certain situations, like we saw it with young Jacob Preston, that it was incidental, however, he got sent to the sin bin, he got put on the bin and he wasn't suspended," Johns said.
“For me, that's a small price to pay to get rid of these career-threatening injuries.”
Going even further Johns hopes players can rely on the Rugby League Players Association to help eradicate the risky tackles from the game.
“If I'm in the RLPA I drive around to all the clubs and I say to them, ‘If anyone is found guilty of a hip-drop and suspended, then you're out of the player association.
“Because the players association is all about player welfare.”
Given the frequency of injury caused by hip-drops it is hard to argue with the stance the NRL is taking as it will almost certainly keep more players free from injury.
At this stage the NRL will not waiver from the crackdown on hip-drops as they try to eradicate them from the game.