Reckless Rapana in strife for dangerous move

Canberra fullback Jordan Rapana could be set for time on the sideline after crashing into the head of St George Illawarra front-rower Blake Lawrie as he led with his knees, during the Raiders’ 20-12 win on the Gold Coast.

While Rapana didn’t cop a sin-bin for the 16th-minute move, referee Chris Sutton placed the Kiwi international on report and awarded the Dragons a penalty.

When Rapana produced a match-saving defensive move on Maika Sivo in the 19th round, thudding into the Eels winger as he led with his knees in the final play of the game, he didn’t receive a punishment of any kind.

However, Rapana had only pounded into Sivo’s side, as opposed to his head.

“Well we saw it a few weeks ago … when he saved Sivo (from scoring a try). He just didn’t make contact with the head … so he kind of dodged a bullet,” said rugby league great Braith Anasta on Fox League’s coverage.

“He’s a little bit unorthodox, Rapana. I love watching him play, he’s exciting to watch.

“But he does get himself in awkward positions and (the move on Lawrie) was one of them.

“He’s on report, he makes contact with the head of Lawrie and he may find himself in some trouble.”

Rapana’s knees-first play on Lawrie would have almost certainly resulted in a sin-bin during the NRL’s crackdown on high contact, which began to be enforced in Magic Round but has since waned.

There were 14 sin-bins and three send-offs during the 10th round, headlined by the brutal hit from Dragons centre Tyrell Fuimaono on Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, which saw Fuiamaono sent off, left Papenhuyzen concussed and sidelined the speedster for more than two months.

Fox League commentator Warren Smith questioned why Rapana’s hit on Lawrie didn’t result in a sin-bin.

“If it’s a penalty it’s hard to imagine how it isn’t a sin-bin for foul play,” Smith said moments after the incident.

“Things have really been ratcheted back, as far as the crackdown all those weeks ago is concerned.”

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