Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Parramatta representative forward J’maine Hopgood says he feels no ill will towards Ryan Couchman, but was quick to point out: “They did make those tackles illegal for a reason.”
It is feared Hopgood suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the Eels’ win over the Dragons on Sunday after getting his leg trapped under Couchman in an ugly tackle.
The match review committee on Monday referred Couchman straight to the judiciary for his 28th-minute tackle, which means the forward is facing a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Hopgood was visibly distraught as he left CommBank Stadium with his young family, saying: “It’s shattering, mate. I’ve never had one [ACL injury] before, but [I’m told] you go through a rollercoaster of emotions.
“I’ll get it scanned on Monday and figure it all out. I felt a pop, then you’re in a heap of pain.
“It doesn’t feel too bad now, but it’s getting a bit sore.
“He [Couchman] came up to me after the game. I know he didn’t mean it, but they [the NRL] did make the tackle illegal for a reason. There are no hard feelings there. I just have to look forward now. I’ll get behind the boys and do whatever I can to be ready as quick as possible.”
Hopgood is a huge blow for the Eels, not just for Saturday’s clash against equal competition leaders Penrith – where the Queensland Origin representative started his NRL career – but for the season.
Couchman, 22, will know exactly what Hopgood is about to go through after he ruptured his ACL in the opening round last year.
St George Illawarra skipper Clint Gutherson, who played with Hopgood at the Eels, said: “I’m really disappointed for him. He’s such a great player. He’s still only young, and while injuries are a part of the game, when it happens to your friends, it makes it extra disappointing.
“I’m sure [his teammates] will get around him. It’s one of those awkward tackles. He [Couchman] swung around the back. Hopefully we don’t get punished for it. It was just an ugly tackle – injuries are the ugly side of rugby league.
“Ryan has been great [to start the year]. It took me a while to get back into the groove [after returning from a ruptured ACL], but he’s come straight back in and hasn’t missed a beat.”
Eels coach Jason Ryles said extra fatigue in the game meant there was a greater risk of dangerous tackles.
“Those tackles, 99.99 per cent of the time, the boys don’t mean it, it’s not intentional,” Ryles said after the Eels’ 30-20 win.
“Unfortunately, if you keep throwing fatigue in the game and making them more tired, they happen. That’s the reality, and you’ve just got to practise and mitigate it as much as you can.”
Meanwhile, images of Gutherson’s left little finger being bent out of shape midway through the second half circulated on social media on Sunday.
“It’s all good now; it just got bent the wrong way, and I didn’t even notice it until I went to catch the ball,” Gutherson said.
“I felt like I was missing a finger. I looked down, and it was facing the other way. ‘Lawso’ [head trainer Dan Lawson] grabbed it and snapped it back in.
“It’s disappointing to be 0-3. We’ve been in every game, but it’s rugby league. It’s why we love to hate it.
“We need to stay solid and make sure we’re ready to go next week.
“You put so much effort into every game, so to have no rewards at the moment. It’s disappointing. We’ll keep fighting. I’ve been in this spot before. We just need to make sure we keep turning up.”
