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NRL finals: When is a headbutt not a headbutt?
Marcus Forbes • September 15th, 2025 10:37 am
Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh is highly regarded for his passion and performance | Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP
Reece Walsh is probably lucky he’s chosen Australia over New Zealand.
If he were a Kiwi, he’d be gone for the rest of the season, the start of next season and onwards for his headbutt in the game against the Raiders on Sunday night.
Whether you like it or not, if you’re a Kiwi playing in the finals in the NRL you are an endangered species.
If you wear blue, maroon, green and gold you are well and truly a protected species. In fact, you can get away with damn near anything.
Sammy & Aysh go head to head over Brad Schneider's try for Penrith | Sport Nation League
Before anyone hits me up with, “you’re just a whinging Warriors supporter”, the truth is I’m a Rabbitohs fan so my season’s well and truly over.
Walsh should be sitting down for at least a match or two after his blatant headbutt last night. Instead, he'll escape with a paltry fine.
Similarly, Nicho Hynes should have been dudded for his hip drop.
The NRL judiciary bizarrely downgraded Hynes’ offence based on the lack of injury so Walsh should be sweet to play on.
The NRL has a problem, although is it a problem if you know you do it but just don’t care?
Its biggest problem is there’s a lack of consistency applied to anyone in the game.
One bloke’s headbutt is not the same as another’s. And yeah there’s a level of acceptance to be expected there but similarly there needs to be some sort of baseline.
If it’s a headbutt, it’s a headbutt – the starting point should be a week off and you go from there based on the intent / damage done.
And that should be applied across the board not just to the Kiwis and Warriors players.
There, I said it and I’m not taking it back.
