Rugby league guru Phil Gould and former Cronulla Sharks captain Paul Gallen have engaged in an explosive war of words over Felise Kaufusi's elbow to Ryan Matterson's head.
Parramatta's Matterson was last Thursday knocked out when his head thudded into the Bankwest Stadium turf in an ugly tackle, during which the right elbow of Melbourne's Kaufusi collected him high.
The judiciary deemed Kaufusi had made dangerous contact to the head and slapped the Queensland State of Origin back-rower with a two-match ban for his elbow to Matterson, who left play for an HIA in the 47th minute and didn't return.
When Gould fired up at the referee's decision to not sin-bin Kaufusi despite the fact that Cronulla's Jesse Ramien had been sin-binned for a swinging arm to the head of St George Illawarra's Matt Dufty in Round One, it ignited a heated exchange of words with Gallen.
"I said at the time I thought he was fortunate to be still on the field," Gallen said on Wide World of Sports' 100% Footy.
"Once they put him on report they examined it. I would have thought it was worth 10 minutes.
"Now Jesse Ramien hit Matt Dufty in the back of the head the week before and he ended up getting suspended for it, but the minute they put him on report they sent him to the sin bin. He went off to give them 12 men.
"It didn't happen in this game (between Parramatta and Melbourne), and I'm wondering what's the difference between the two.
"If a player is put on report for hitting someone in the head and one goes to the bin for 10 minutes and the next week no one does – I can't understand the difference.
"Now what's happened here (Kaufusi elbow) – different sort of action but he's hit him in the head, Matterson's knocked out, the video referee reviews it …
"Now I don't want him (the referee) to be the judiciary, but he decides to put it on report … Then why then no sin bin?"
Gallen hit out.
"But Gus, I don't think it was the elbow that concussed him," Gallen said.
"It think the elbow was a glancing blow. It was the force with which he hit the ground that knocked him out."
Gould fought back.
"So why did they put him on report, Paul?"
Gallen continued.
"Because he did hit him with his elbow," Gallen said.
"I've got no doubt he deserved to be put on report and deserved to be cited for it. I do think two weeks is harsh. I don't think he meant to elbow him. I think it was a glancing blow on the way down. I've got no doubt it was the force of his head hitting the ground that knocked him out."
The argument was about to rise in tempo.
"But they put him on report," Gould said.
Gallen: "But Gus, you know what they're like. They don't always get it right, do they?
Gould: "But wait a minute … They put him on report."
Gallen: "Do they always get it right, Gus?"
Gould: "No, I'm not saying that."
Gallen: "Thank you."
Gould: "You're not listening."
Gallen: "I am listening."
Gould: "Put your ears in. Listen, listen, listen, listen. They put him on report for his elbow. Why wasn't he sent to the sin bin?"
Gallen: "It doesn't mean he has to go to the sin bin."
Gould: "So why did the bloke (Ramien) go to the sin bin the week before?"
Gallen: "Because it's at the discretion of the referee."
Gould: "Oh, so now it's discretion?"
Gallen: "We have this argument all the time about discretion; about the block plays and this and that. I agree. There shouldn't be discretion; it should be black and white."
Gould: "Don't talk about block plays. We haven't had one for two weeks. They've forgotten all about them."
Gallen: "All I'm saying is there shouldn't be discretion; it should be black and white. Now if he hit him in the head and he was put on report he probably deserved to go to the sin bin."
Gould: "But that's what I was just saying."
Gallen: "Exactly. But it's up to the referee's discretion. It's not black and white; I'm saying it should be black and white."
Gould: "So you're not arguing with me; you're agreeing with me."
Gallen: "Well, I'm sort of a bit of both."
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