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Fans fume as Cam Smith 'chicken wing' tackle goes unpunished

Legendary NRL referee Bill Harrigan says Melbourne captain Cam Smith is fortunate to escape punishment for a “chicken wing” tackle during his side’s loss to Cronulla on Sunday.

Footage showed Smith wrestling Sosaia Feki to the ground in a questionable first half tackle during his side’s 17-14 defeat at AAMI Park.

The Storm skipper had Feki’s arm locked up as he grappled the Sharks winger to the ground in a one-on-one tackle.

Smith looked like he was ripping at the arm of Feki, before slamming him to the ground face-first.

Former referees boss Harrigan says the 378-game veteran was lucky not to be charged by the Match Review Committee, and believes Smith should at the very least be given a warning letter.

Smith was considered lucky to escape punishment for a ‘chicken wing’ tackle on Feki. Pic: Channel 9
Smith was considered lucky to escape punishment for a ‘chicken wing’ tackle on Feki. Pic: Channel 9

“The match review should certainly have a look at it because he starts to twist the arm and bend it to pull it down,” Harrigan said on Fox Sports.

“On the match review I’d be putting it in as a type of chicken wing tackle.

“The way he pulls him down and it hurt Feki, who was in a lot of pain after it.

“He should get a warning letter, but it certainly needs to be looked at by the match review committee.”

Plenty of fans agreed with Harrigan’s assessment on social media after the game – venting their fury at the Storm skipper’s tackling technique.

The Sharks stopped the Storm’s return to the top of the NRL ladder and helped their own top-four hopes in an enthralling match at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon.

Moving to sixth, Cronulla proved their defence was title-worthy, holding the Storm up over the tryline three times and preventing a match-winner with the dying minutes uncannily similar to their 2016 grand final decider.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy was scathing of his team’s poor ball control and game management in the first half, hinting that heads could roll before their Friday night clash with Parramatta.

“It looks like we lack hunger at the moment,” Bellamy said.

“We looked like we started the game waiting for things to happen rather than making them happen and I’m not quite sure why that would be.

“We will need to change that if we’re going to go anywhere in this competition.”

The Storm trailed 13-4 at halftime with hooker Jayden Brailey and Valentine Holmes both scoring as the Sharks searched for just their second win in Melbourne since 2009.

The home side pegged it back to 13-10 through Billy Slater, who announced his retirement midweek, running on to a Cameron Munster grubber.

But Munster then a threw a loose pass that led to the Sharks’ final try.

It was scooped up by centre Jesse Ramien and despite being brought down by Josh Addo-Carr after a 60m dash, Cronulla winger Josh Dugan took the ball from dummy-half and burst through some soft defence.

Will Chambers set up winger Suliasi Vunivalu for his second try in the 72nd minute to pave the way for an exciting finale but the visitors held firm.

With AAP