Both Canberra coach Ricky Stuart and Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett raised major concerns over the future of the sport after 10 players were sent from the field in the first three games of Magic Round.
âItâs a contact sport,â Barrett said, despite benefiting from Jack Wighton being sin-binned and Josh Papalii being sent off.
âItâs pretty hard not to touch anyoneâs head when youâre trying to tackle someone. Itâs impossible not to. Bearing in mind most of us coaches played as well. I know Iâm going to get hit in the head occasionally. Iâm fine with that.
3 May, 2021, 5:23 pm
Fiji National Rugby League s Don Natabe during a press conference at the Fiji National Rugby League office in Suva on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU/FT FILE
Another two tries in the 38-0 win over the Bulldogs in the NRL on Saturday night will be a boost for Parramatta Eels star Maika Sivo as he continues to impress his Fiji Bati coaches ahead of the Rugby League World Cup later this year.
Sivo’s performance and also of the other Fijian players in the NRL this year is a good sign for the Bati ahead of the RLWC in England.