Thirty-Sixth Minute, Preliminary Final: One Tackle Cost Two Players a World Cup
Nathan Cleary will not play in a home World Cup. Phoenix Crossland will miss most of one. The same tackle did both, and it lasted under a second.
Crossland was sent off in the 36th minute of Newcastle’s preliminary final win over Penrith for a hip drop on Cleary. Cleary suffered a compound fracture and a dislocated ankle. The NRL judiciary suspended Crossland for four matches, which cost him the grand final and rules him out of New Zealand’s three World Cup pool games.
The phone call
Crossland pleaded guilty to dangerous contact and told the judiciary he had never been sent off before in his career. He also said he had rung the man whose leg he broke.
“I called him yesterday. It was obviously a tough phone call,” Crossland said. “I reached out to his dad as well. Nathan was great, he said not to worry about it and he understood it was an accident. He was such a gentleman, he told me to stop saying sorry.”
Then: “He’s my favourite player in the game by a mile. He’s the best player in the game and I look up to him.”
His barrister produced abusive Instagram messages sent to Crossland in the 48 hours after the match. “It’s killing me, it’s been the worst couple of days of my life,” Crossland told the hearing. “It’s meant to be the best week of my life and it’s been far from it.”
The NRL argued for four weeks on the basis that the tackle failed to exercise a proper duty of care and, while accidental, showed insufficient caution. The judiciary agreed.
What Australia lost
Cleary has been the best halfback in the game for most of a decade and the tournament is in his country. Kevin Walters has covered the position with Sam Walker, Mitchell Moses, Tom Dearden and Cameron Munster, named in Australia’s 23 for the tournament.
Walker’s selection carries a symmetry worth noticing. He kicked the 55th-minute penalty goal that put the Roosters in front in the grand final, and he is in the Kangaroos squad partly because the player who would have been picked ahead of him cannot run.
Dylan Edwards, and the fullback vacancy
Penrith lost a second player to the same squad announcement. Edwards needs surgery on a knee hurt in week three of the finals. The Australian number one jersey is now a contest between James Tedesco and Reece Walsh.
Lindsay Collins lasted 48 hours
Collins made the original 23 on 5 October and was out by 7 October with a foot injury. Lindsay Smith of Penrith replaces him, a straight Lindsay for Lindsay swap. Smith already has two Australian Tests, including one in last year’s Ashes.
Payne Haas will miss it for Samoa
Haas switched his allegiance to Samoa, a decision that was going to make Toa Samoa one of the more dangerous sides in the draw. He needs hand surgery and will not play. Brian To’o leads Samoa instead.
Before a ball has been kicked on 15 October the tournament has lost an Australian halfback, an Australian fullback, an Australian prop, a New Zealand hooker and the best front-rower available to Samoa.
The one it hurts most
Probably Crossland. Cleary has played in World Cups and, at 28, will play in another. Crossland lost a grand final with his home-town club and a World Cup with his country, for an accident he apologised for on the phone to the man he injured, and then had to read his messages.
