Newcastle Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland has been banned for four matches, including the NRL’s grand final, for his hip-drop tackle that broke the leg of Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary.
Crossland made an emotional pitch to the NRL judiciary on Tuesday in a desperate, albeit unlikely, bid to be free to play in the blockbuster decider against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
Crossland said the incident had taken the focus off grand final week and apologised “to everyone involved in the game”.
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“I hope after tonight we can get back to the football … If I could change the circumstances in any way, I would,” he said.
Crossland also told the judiciary that Cleary was his “favourite player” in the game.
“To be the reason he is in hospital is killing me,” he said.
The 26-year-old said he had contacted Cleary and his father, Penrith coach Ivan Cleary, to apologise.
“It was a tough phone call and I just wanted to reach out and apologise,” Crossland told judiciary chair Geoffrey Bellew and panel members Ryan James and Paul Simpkins.
“It’s been the worst couple of days of my life.
“He’s my favourite player by a mile and the only reason he’s in hospital is because of me … I reached out to his dad (Ivan) as well and said sorry for ruining such a great game.
“(Nathan) told me to stop saying sorry.”
At one point Crossland was in tears, but the judiciary was not moved, taking just 17 minutes to reach a unanimous verdict after an 80-minute hearing.
“It happened so fast,” Crossland told them.
“The most of what I’ve seen of it was on a screen when you slow it down, it doesn’t look great. I was trying to stop a try. In my position, it’s my job to stop tries. That’s all I was trying to do. I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone.
“Of course (I got my execution wrong).”
The suspension not only means he will miss the grand final, but also the majority of the World Cup for New Zealand.
Crossland, who has played six Tests for New Zealand, will now miss all three pool games for the Kiwis against Australia, the Cook Islands and Fiji. New Zealand would have to make the semi-finals for him to feature.
Newcastle had named an unchanged squad from the side that beat Penrith on Sunday, holding out slim hope that the judiciary would take pity on Crossland.
With Crossland’s suspension now confirmed, Harrison Graham will replace him as hooker and one of the reserves (Diesel Hagan, Kyle McCarthy or Elijah Salesa Leaumoana) will be added to the interchange.
While the judiciary understandably showed no sympathy for Crossland, there was plenty on social media.
“I’m breaking out from journo mode for a minute…LET HIM PLAY, I’M ABOUT TO CRY,” 7NEWS sports reporter Jelisa Apps said on X.
Sports writer Scott Baileyr said: “Phoenix Crossland is a very good human being, and one of the most genuine in rugby league. I hope he’s got good support around him. Some of the stuff out of tonight is just heartbreaking. No winners in this situation.”
– With AAP
