- Ronaldo Mulitalo urges officials not to outlaw sledging
Cronulla winger Ronaldo Mulitalo is the master of the on-field wind-up and has urged the NRL to let the trash talk flow as the Sharks prepare to gun down Melbourne in a preliminary final.
Cronulla moved to within one game of their first grand final appearance since 2016 after claiming a ninth win across their last 10 outings, downing minor premiers Canberra 32-12 on Saturday.
The Raiders’ premiership bid unravelled a week earlier when firebrand back-rower Hudson Young was sin-binned by referee Ashley Klein for squaring up to superstar Reece Walsh and celebrating a Brisbane error.
Walsh aimed a headbutt at Young and was also sent to the bin before returning to spark a miraculous Broncos fightback.
Canberra were incredulous that Young had been penalised for lairing up, as was Mulitalo, who has made a habit of sledging and revelling in errors made by rival players.
‘I need to be careful what I say, I’d be gone for a whole year if I got caught with what I say sometimes,’ Mulitalo said.
Ronaldo Mulitalo (pictured) has urged the NRL to let the trash talk flow on the field
Hudson Young was sin-binned by referee Ashley Klein for squaring up to superstar Reece Walsh (pictured) and celebrating a Brisbane error
‘It’s high stakes. Nobody takes it personally. And if you can’t handle words when you go out there, that’s on you.
‘It’s an advantage to whoever is able to get under your skin.
‘You can say whatever you want to me. I’ve been called plenty of things, but am I going to sit around and say, ‘he hurt my feelings?’
‘Play the game how it is. It’s tough. It’s a man’s game. If you’re getting hurt by words, obviously there’s a limit, you don’t bring in partners or kids – you never cross that line.
‘With Hudson Young, he can say whatever he wants. I gave him a bit of lip, and I was giving it back. Not once did I say, ‘he hurt my feelings’.’
Mulitalo said he relishes the chance to goad opponents and celebrate the little victories for the Sharks, who will head to AAMI Park on Friday as massive underdogs.
‘If you play a video game and you laugh at your brother and he turns around and flogs you, you’re the real winner,’ Mulitalo said.
This is the second-straight season Cronulla have made a preliminary final under Craig Fitzgibbon, which will go some way to reducing the narrative that they don’t handle the pressure of sudden-death games.
Mulitalo said he relishes the chance to goad opponents during a match
But Mulitalo knows the Sharks can only put that stigma to bed if they claim the club’s second-ever premiership.
‘We’ve been together for four years and I think we all know if we don’t get something done or get moving, we’ll pay the price,’ Mulitalo said.
‘That’s how you lose players, and someone comes in to do a job.
‘We don’t get the right to speak about respect when you haven’t earned anything; how can you demand respect when you don’t have a premiership? You earn respect by beating the best of the best.’
Meanwhile, the Sharks, who will be without prop Tom Hazleton against Melbourne due to a category one concussion, received some welcome news on Sunday with front-rower Toby Rudolf cleared to face the Storm.
Rudolf was penalised for a high shot on Raiders skipper Joe Tapine but will escape with a $1000 fine.
It’s the same amount Cronulla back-rower Billy Burns will cough up after he was hit with a dangerous contact charge by the NRL’s match review committee.
Burns will be free to play his first preliminary final after enjoying a breakout season in the Shire.
