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Footy legends Greg Alexander and Cameron Smith get into a war of words after Penrith great said the Storm have pioneered ALL of the NRL’s dirtiest tactics – prompting an angry response
- Footy legend Greg Alexander has accused Melbourne of questionable tactics
- Told listeners on SEN Radio the Storm introduced the wrestle into the NRL
- Dangerous tackles such as the chicken wing, crusher and hip-drop followed
- Storm great and SEN colleague Cameron Smith felt Alexander was out of line
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Footy great Greg Alexander has sensationally accused Melbourne of introducing a number of questionable tackling techniques into the NRL stretching back two decades.
Speaking on SEN Radio, Alexander singled out the Storm and their long-time former captain Cameron Smith, who vigorously defended the club from the explosive allegation.
‘I didn’t think it was any type of revelation when I made those comments about the hip-drop emanating out of Melbourne Storm,’ Alexander said on Friday on the breakfast sports show he co-hosts with fellow rugby league identity Andrew Voss.
‘I was surprised that Cameron (Smith) and [SEN co-host] Denan [Kemp] were surprised that someone wouldn’t actually think that the hip-drop started out of Melbourne.
‘I thought it was just the general consensus that over the last 20 years all the tackles, the wrestling techniques had come out of Melbourne.
NRL great Greg Alexander has sensationally accused Melbourne of introducing a number of questionable tackling techniques into the NRL stretching back to 2002
Melbourne’s greatest ever player Cameron Smith refuted the suggestion and felt Alexander was out of line
‘I might be jumping to a conclusion, but I don’t think I am.’
Alexander, who is also an advisor for the NSW Blues and Deputy Chairman at the Panthers, went onto point out two of the first three charges of 2020 for hip-drop tackles in the NRL came from Melbourne Storm players Jesse Bromwich and Max King.
‘I distinctly remember the Max King incident because I was calling the game (for Fox Sports)…(Max) King just fell on the back of Blake Lawrie’s leg,’ he said.
‘I think history shows – and it’s not a stretch for me to jump to a Melbourne Storm conclusion – that the grapple, the chicken wing, the rolling pin, the crusher, the hip-drop – I think they all emanate out of Melbourne. Melbourne have led the way.
‘They have changed the game back in 2002-2003 where the wrestle became part of the game.’
Alexander believes the Storm – long blamed for slowing down the ruck with wrestling techniques – also brought in dirty tackles like the hip drop that broke Wests star Jackson Hastings’ leg last weekend
Smith – a colleague of Alexander’s on SEN – hit back.
‘I don’t know how you can come up with that comment,’ Smith said. ‘To single out one club to say that introduced that tackle into our sport, that’s a little bit over the top.
‘Off the top of my head, I can’t ever recall seeing Brandy (Alexander) at one of our training sessions. I can’t.
‘To single out the Melbourne Storm, that is really unfair.’
Alexander’s comments add further spice to the already intense rivalry between Penrith and Melbourne, who next next square off on August 11 at Bluebet Stadium in round 22.