'Tackled him too hard': NRL world divided over brutal shoulder charge

A bone-rattling shoulder charge on Watene-Zelezniak, which prompted a brawl, has divided the NRL world with many fans calling it a legal hit.

The Penrith fullback was returning a kick in the second half with the scores locked at 24-all.

After making the first contact with a defender, Jarrod Wallace charged in sending the fullback flying.

“At first look it was legal,” the commentator immediately said.

The tackle was deemed a shoulder charge and Penrith was awarded a penalty, but not before both teams charged at each other with tempers flaring.

With the game in the balance, many on social media thought the hit was brutal but legal.

Others felt it was a penalty, but the ensuing brawl was over the top.

Titans snare victory

Gold Coast have found their attacking flourish to open their NRL account in a 30-24 defeat of Penrith.

A 66th minute penalty try to Bryce Cartwright was the difference as both sides traded blows in a free-flowing clash on the Gold Coast.

Points had deserted the Titans in four losses to start the season but they piled them on in Robina to ease the pressure on coach Garth Brennan and restore some faith after the club’s worst start to their campaign.

And they did it despite the first-half loss of a hobbled halfback Ashley Taylor, with AJ Brimson slotting in effectively alongside ringleader Tyrone Roberts.

The Titans had scored just eight first-half points all season but led 18-12 at the break on the back of 90 per cent completion and 20 missed Penrith tackles.

Roberts was the architect with his probing runs and deft kicking, while a short Taylor kick set Roberts up for his side’s first try.

A blockbusting Viliame Kikau carried four men over to keep the Panthers close before tries to James Fisher-Harris and Josh Mansour – set up by a slick Nathan Cleary offload – put the visitors ahead.

Jarrod Wallace had the Titans’ reply and followed it up with a shoulder charge that sparked a heated final 20 minutes.

But Gold Coast took control, with a runaway Brimson cruelled by the bounce of the ball after a Tyrone Peachey cross-field kick.

They weren’t denied a second time, Dale Copley’s chip in behind looked good for a try before Tyrell Fuimaono tackled Cartwright without the ball.

The fact Cartwright couldn’t ground the ball cleanly meant it was a penalty try, allowing Michael Gordon to slot the points from in front in his 250th NRL game and leave Penrith with a 2-3 to start the season.