South Sydney Rabbitohs star escapes NRL ban for chicken wing Gorden Tallis said was ‘carry-on’

Souths wrecking ball Tevita Tatola put in a massive shift to get his side to a fifth straight preliminary final – and has been rewarded, escaping a ban for a ‘chicken wing’ tackle verdict, which legend Gorden Tallis said was ‘carry-on’.

Leading the Sharks 24-12 going into the final quarter of the clash, Tatola bent the arm of ball carrier Ronaldo Mulitalo in a three-man tackle, which resulted in a grim chicken wing like offence. 

Tevita Tatola bends the arm of Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo – he was placed on report immediately after the tackle

The 25-year-old was placed on report while flyer Mulitalo laid on the ground in pain – thought the NRL have since announced Tatola will escape with a fine of $1800 if he takes the early guilty plea.

Referee Grant Atkins told Tatola it was ‘dangerous on the arm’, while the Fox League panel discussed the props fate post game. 

‘Well you can see he bends that arm back and it’s that second go there, I think he’s in some trouble,’ 2016 premiership winner Michael Ennis said.

‘Whilst he’s trying to turn the player onto his back, he can’t use his arm to do that.’

‘Ennis is very salty after Sharkies get beat…boo hoo.. wants Tatola to get suspended…#NRLSharksSouths Tatola didn’t go on with it,’ one fan tweeted. 

Mulitalo grimaces in pain after the chicken wing tackle – which Gorden Tallis says was ‘carry-on’

Meanwhile, Queensland hard man Gorden Tallis believed Mulitalo’s grimace was entirely theatrical. 

‘I reckon it’s a grade two carry-on from the winger here,’ the raging bull said.

‘I reckon it’s pre-school, he lets it go there and look at that carry-on.

Put you in that position. If you make that tackle, or it happens to you, do you want the player who tackled you to miss the game?’

Tatola is tackled during the semi-final against Cronulla, where the Rabbitohs won convincingly 38-12

The 114kg powerful back played 57 minutes for 173 run metres, making 22 tackles.

The chicken wing tackle has been cracked down on in past years, to punish players for attacking the defenceless arm of ball runners. 

Liam Knight bends back the arm of James Graham in 2019 – Knight was suspended for two NRL games

In 2019 Souths utility Liam Knight was charged with grade-two dangerous contact for an arm pin tackle on Dragons captain James Graham.

Knight disputed the charge and was suspended for two NRL games.

However, the match review committee have deemed Tatola’s tackle only a grade one offence, so the Bunnies back is free to play for the red and green in their crucial preliminary final against Panthers next Saturday.