Queensland State of Origin star Valentine Holmes avoids lengthy ban for a hip drop tackle
Queensland State of Origin selectors were relieved after Cowboys center Valentine Holmes dodged a hip-drop ban against the Wests Tigers on Friday.
On Saturday, the NRL Match Judiciary charge sheet showed Holmes was issued a grade 1 dangerous contact offence, but he will not miss the Origin opener for the Maroons on June 5 if he pleads guilty.
Holmes will also be fined $1,800 after his tackle on Isaiah Papali’i went wrong, ruling out the Tigers star for the remainder of the match.
His pain is compounded by the fact that Holmes was suspended for four games at the end of the 2023 season for a shoulder charge on Titans young gun Jayden Campbell and will carry the load from that offense as well.
North Queensland coach Todd Payten proudly hails from NSW but insists the decision to sin Holmes and put him on the report for a hip-drop tackle in the 42-28 win over Wests Tigers was unnecessary.
Holmes attempted this tackle on Wests forward Isaiah Papali’i late in the first half
Holmes then collided with teammate Tom Dearden and fell onto Papali’i’s legs
Referee Belinda Sharpe deemed the incident a hip drop and sent Holmes to the sin bin
He said a worse tackle by Tigers’ prop David Klemmer on Cowboys forward Kulikefu Finefuiaki, for which he was on report, was a “textbook” hip-drop, despite not being thrown out.
Klemmer will miss three games as it is his third violation.
Holmes was thrown off in the 37th minute on Friday for a tackle on Tigers forward Isaiah Papali’i, who left the field and did not return with an ankle injury.
He was later spotted in a moon boot.
Holmes will almost certainly be named in the Queensland squad for the State of Origin series opener in Sydney on Monday. The 28-year-old has scored 13 tries in 16 games for the Maroons and is one of the first to be picked.
“We lose (a player) for ten minutes and that inconsistency really irritates me and the players, members and fans,” Payten said.
“Every time it gets into a bunker situation I get really nervous. I’m sure the players feel the same. Sinning changes the complexity of the game, making it difficult to regain momentum.
‘With all those camera angles, they can’t get that wrong, among other things. It’s so frustrating.’
Holmes’ tackle was assessed by the bunker. He was accidentally caught by Cowboys co-captain Tom Dearden while making the tackle, which could play in his favor.
“It wasn’t a hip drop from the start, so I’m stunned by the bunker in that situation,” Payten said.
‘I don’t know what a rugby league player should do when he goes for a try and a defender lunges at his legs.
“He’s going to land on their legs. I have no doubt where it will land, but it’s not a hip drop.”
Cowboys coach Todd Payten was left furious after Wests Tigers forward David Klemmer was placed on report for a hip drop in the same match, but not sin-binned.
Holmes was at risk of missing the first State of Origin match if he is suspended
Payten highlighted the inconsistencies in sin-bin decisions and what is considered a hip-drop tackle, using Tigers prop David Klemmer as an example. Klemmer was put on report, but not sent to the sin bin.
“Textbook – David Klemmer in the second half – and nothing happened,” he said.
‘The bunker has every right to interfere there and get the call right. We lose one (player) for 10 and they (don’t).
“The inconsistency irritates me, the players, our members and fans of the game.
“Every time I get into a bunker situation I get nervous, very nervous and I’m sure the players feel the same. Because sin binning just changes the complexity of the game and it’s so hard to get the momentum back.
‘With all those camera angles, they can’t misunderstand that on other calls either. It’s just so frustrating.’
Footy fans were also baffled by the inconsistencies that kept Klemmer on the field.
‘Why wasn’t Klemmer convicted for the same thing: a hip drop, but only a penalty?’ one asked.
“We’re entering the clown phase of hip drops,” another frustrated fan posted.
“I walked away as soon as it was sanctioned… What was Val going to do, just stand there and play touchfooty or might as well shout a netball, what a joke in rugby league these days,” fumed an angry Cowboys supporter.