: Mon Jul 20, 2009 5:39 pm  

Had it been Newton, they'd have been calling for Sine Die. But hey ho...

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:14 pm  

Look i support Wakey - but i have to say what a load of nonsense this incident is. First off it was NOT a punch - how the hell can you clench your fist when there is a rugby ball in your hand???? My biggest concern is how our man reacted - like a footballer
Nothing broken - reports of fractures are a load of cobblers.
I hope he was genuinely hurt though otherwise i would be very disappointed if he was going down the theatrical route. Bit of egde is part of the game - if you dont like that go and watch a bit of ping pong.

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:16 pm  

He wasn't injured. Is due to play next week. That's how Cunningham got a caution - that and the RFL did not believe he intended to hit Stosic's eye.

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:20 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

that and the RFL did not believe he intended to hit Stosic's eye.

Then he shouldn't have cheap shotted him.



Regardless of how hard he hit him and it not being a clenched fist due to having a ball in his hand, and whether he got injured or not, Cunningham DID cheap shot the guy. Quite clearly. A close up caught it. The RFL have made themselves a laughing stock by only cautioning it.

I'm not saying he should have got a 4 match ban or anything silly like that, but it deserved at the very least a fine or a match ban. A "please don't do that" is laughable.

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:22 pm  

As I said, I'd love to have seen their reaction had it been Newton!

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:40 am  

ex Bull Dog wrote:

It looked like a 1 inch punch - deadly!

But he seems to have got away with cheap shots for most of his career

Cunningham has never been a cheap shot merchant IMO. Hard & fair. It was a penalty & nothing more (which would have prevented a Saints try IIRC. If there was not the resultant injury claimed it has left the RFL looking stupid, but explains the caution only.
As Adey says, there would have been uproar if Newton had done it, but that's the price you pay for playing the game like Newton has.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:41 am  

Nothing like making a mountain out of a molehill.

but then its a Saints player. I'd expect nothing less.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:44 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

He wasn't injured. Is due to play next week. That's how Cunningham got a caution - that and the RFL did not believe he intended to hit Stosic's eye.

What was he intending to hit then? Nose? Forehead? Jaw?

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:16 am  

debaser wrote:

What was he intending to hit then? Nose? Forehead? Jaw?

WHen his face was 6" away it's a pretty fair bet he was going to be close. Perhaps any drugs he may or may not have taken against his free will impaired his vision/judgement.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:03 am  

tigertot wrote:

WHen his face was 6" away it's a pretty fair bet he was going to be close. Perhaps any drugs he may or may not have taken against his free will impaired his vision/judgement.