South Sydney winger Taane Milne is likely to be in huge strife over a low act in the dying seconds of the Rabbitohs’ heavy loss to the Storm.
With just nine seconds on the clock and Souths trailing 54-20, Milne opted to lead with his head in a cannonball-type effort and took out Cam Munster’s legs in an awful tackle attempt.
Munster had made a fairly gentle hit up and was already being held up in a group tackle by three other Rabbitohs players when Milne made his staggering decision that led to an immediate sin bin from the referees.
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Storm players were clearly furious about the act with Joe Chan running in to grab Milne by the scruff of the neck and pull him off Munster.
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou didn’t hold back when asked about it after the game.
“It probably ends a dumb night on a dumb note,” he said.
“I thought he was trying to come in and got knocked down so I’ll have to have a look at it closely but (it’s) a frustrating way to end the game.”
Milne will learn his fate when the NRL match review hands down its judiciary charges on Friday.
In the eyes of many, he is deserving of a lengthy time on the sideline.
Storm legend Cooper Cronk said on Fox League it was a “terrible, terrible effort”.
“It’s an ordinary effort from Milne with no time on the clock,” Cronk said.
“Diving below the knee. Doesn’t matter if it’s a gun player or not, you can hyperextend and that could be an ACL territory or some really long-term knee injuries.
“But that is a terrible, terrible effort there from Taane Milne.”
NSW State of Origin great Michael Ennis also said: “Viciously dangerous. You can’t do that. And it’s the intent in which he goes into the legs.
“He just spears in there, there was three or four seconds left in the game.
“It was completely unnecessary and the officials saw it that way, they got rid of him.
“They sin-binned him straight away and he’ll be in enormous trouble.”
Fox League’s Dan Ginnane also pointed out the fact Milne has regularly featured on the NRL’s judiciary charge sheet in recent years for dangerous and careless tackles.
“This is going to end in a nasty fashion,” he said.
“Taane Milne saw a chance to put a shot on down low and he took it.
“Gee that’s ugly. Thank goodness Munster’s OK.”
Panthers great Greg Alexander speculated Milne will be facing a long suspension.
“There could’ve been a serious injury there,” he said.
“If Munster’s legs didn’t move backwards with the force that Milne hit him, well we could be talking about a broken ankle or something.
“He’ll cop a charge and it could be a heavy charge.”
AAP journalist Scott Bailey also wrote on Twitter: “Woeful, woeful tackle from Taane Milne.
“With Munster held upright and the last seconds ticking by, it was only ever putting a rival player at risk of injury and earning himself a long ban.
“Disrespectful to both Munster and his own teammates.”