“It’s super frustrating”: Why Horo backs Payten’s post-match grievance with hip drop call

The NRL bunker has made headlines for all the wrong reasons after North Queensland Cowboys centre Valentine Holmes was sent to the sin for an alleged hip drop tackle on Wests Tigers forward Isaiah Papali’i.

North Queensland walked away with a convincing 42-28 win over the Tigers on Friday night but the decision to send Holmes to the sin bin nearly proved critical for the Cowboys.

The decision looked contentious at the time and was put under more scrutiny after it allowed the Tigers to get back into the contest minutes before the halftime break.

Despite the Cowboys regaining control of the game in the second half, coach Todd Payten didn’t hold back in his assessment of the call.

“It wasn’t a hip-drop to start so I’m gobsmacked at the interference from the bunker in that situation,” Payten said post-game.

“I don’t know what a rugby league player is supposed to do when they’re going for a try and he lunges at their legs, and he’s going to land on their legs, I’ve got no doubt about where he’s going to land.

“But it’s not a hip drop and our game has tried to stamp out the hip-drop where there is a guy standing in a tackle and they lose their legs and land on the legs.”

The anger surrounding this decision largely stems from the bunker’s inconsistent ruling on hip drops this season and that Tigers prop David Klemmer was only put on report for a similar incident in the same game.

Former Manly Sea Eagles forward Justin Horo stood by Payten’s frustration and revealed his thoughts on the controversial incident.

“It’s super frustrating,” Horo said on SEN 1170 Mower’s Club.

“Someone asked me the other day when did the hip drop come in, if you look at that example of what happened to Valentine Holmes in that tackle, that’s been happening for 30, 40 years.

“When someone is trying to score a try, hits a hole, makes a break and your momentum swings you around trying to make a tackle and you end up on their legs, it’s not a hip drop tackle.

“That’s not the definition, the definition for me on a hip drop tackle for me, I agree with Todd Payten… if two players are trying to make a tackle and momentum has stopped, in order to bring a player down, a player drops his weight and attacks the knee area and lands at the back of the leg, then 100 per cent, ten in the bin.”

Holmes has since been cleared by the NRL match review committee whilst Klemmer is facing a likely suspension of three weeks.