The veteran commentator is calling on the NRL to crack down on the farcical scenes.
Clint Gutherson’s theatrical flop against the Wests Tigers has already seen the Parramatta captain condemned around the NRL world. And now veteran commentator Andrew Voss has called on officials to crack down on an ugly trend that has crept into the game where players take dives or feign injuries as a way of trying to win a penalty by duping referees.
Gutherson was guilty of one of the most farcical flops of the season during his side’s 60-26 drubbing of the Wests Tigers in Friday night’s ‘Spoon Bowl’. Interim Eels coach Trent Barrett revealed after the game that his skipper played with three broken ribs – which he suffered three weeks ago – and a torn quad. But Gutherson’s toughness and bravery was largely overshadowed by a shocking moment of play-acting that’s landed him in the crosshairs of angry league fans.
Parramatta were 26-10 up with 30 minutes to go when the Tigers had an attacking set near the Eels’ tryline and Gutherson saw an opportunity to try and milk an obstruction penalty for his side. The Eels skipper was seen deliberately running at a stationary Tigers attacker before wrapping his arms around him and flailing to the ground.
Clint Gutherson called out over flop against Wests Tigers
Gutherson immediately turned to referee Peter Gough looking for a penalty but the whistleblower was wise to what the Parramatta No.1 was trying to do and didn’t take the bait. Gutherson’s actions were so blatant that he could have been penalised himself for tackling the Tigers player without the ball. The incident went largely unnoticed at the time and wasn’t picked up on during the broadcast but plenty of fans called the veteran No.1 out on social media for the ‘shameless’ attempt to try and win a penalty.
And veteran league caller Voss has added to the pile-on against Gutherson after suggesting he should have been charged and slapped with a two-game ban for the ugly incident. Voss said he didn’t think many fans would take issue with the NRL cracking down on players deliberately trying to con referees into awarding penalties.
Such a move would mirror what happens in football, where players can be yellow carded or handed retrospective punishments for diving or play-acting, even if the offence wasn’t picked up at the time. Many league fans feel like the NRL is already becoming more like football with players increasingly lying down in tackles to try and milk penalties or initiating contact in defence looking for obstruction calls to go their way.
NRL fans want crackdown on players trying to milk penalties
And Voss’ call for Gutherson to be banned over the incident against the Tigers drew plenty of support from league fans, many of whom say the increase in play-acting is ruining the game. Fans agreed that players are milking penalties with alarming regularity, with debate about sufficient sanctions ranging from sin bins, to fines and even suspensions in some instances.
“Totally agree, taking a dive, lying down to get an undeserved penalty is ruining the game,” one fan wrote in response to Voss’ question. Another said: “It’s becoming a blite (sic) on the game and needs to be stamped out now.” And a third added: “They need to get diving out of the sport somehow. Whether it be diving like this or laying down hurt for a penalty…its a shocking look for the game and its being coached into players games now.”
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