‘Out of order’: Robinson, Whitehead involved in fiery exchange of words

Elliott Whitehead's hip-drop tackle on Brandon Smith has created a fiery post-match exchange between him and Sydney Roosters head coach Trent Robinson.

The Raiders skipper revealed after the match that he went to apologise to Trent Robinson but was ignored by the coach who has now lost Smith, Sam Walker and Victor Radley for the remainder of the season.

"Obviously I didn't mean to do Brandon, I know he's come up with a bad injury, and I'm sorry to him for that," Whitehead said.

"I went over to ask about Brandon and Trent Robinson's had a go at me. I went to apologise and he's turned on me. The way he's done that I thought he was out of order.

"I'm sorry to Brandon."

The Match Review Committee (MRC) has subsequently charged Whitehead, who faces a three-match ban if he decides to take an early guilty plea - this will be increased to four games if he decides to contest the charge and is found guilty.

This will end his NRL career, as he will return home to the Super League in 2025 with the Catalans Dragons.

He has also been charged with Grade 1 Contrary Conduct and Grade 1 Dangerous Contact (tripping), but he will only face fines if he accepts early guilty pleas.

Although Robinson was reluctant to discuss the hip-drop tackle on Smith in the post-match press conference, he took aim at Whitehead.

Admitting it was hard to forgive Whitehead, he stated that the forward has been doing it for his "whole career". However, he doesn't hold a grudge against the veteran player who has now played his final NRL match.

"He came up and just wanted to ask how Brandon was," Trent Robinson said.

"I sort of said 'it's too many times' - the hip drop has been pretty common in his game for a long time, and I said it's too many times, it cost us a player.

"That was it. He said 'it was an accident' and I just said 'look, you've done it too many times' - that was it.

"He's done a lot in his career, it's been pretty common if you go and have a look. I like Elliott, I've watched him since he was in Bradford and Catalans... but it's been pretty common.

"I wouldn't usually want to talk to you guys about it, but he opened it up and it's been really common in his game his whole career."