THE NRL has declared open season on playmakers.

Newcastle’s plan to bash Johnathan Thurston out of the game was endorsed by league officials yesterday who failed to suspend any of the Knights players who illegally targeted the star half.

Thurston was left with a swollen black eye, but it’s an even bigger black eye for a game that thumps its chest about player safety but goes weak when faced with thuggery.

MORE TO COME: Corey Parker warns Thurston

COMMENT: Dirty tactics won’t stop JT

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One of the hardest men to ever play the game, Trevor Gillmeister, slammed the weak response to the Knights grubby tactics stating forwards now had a licence to illegally thump playmakers.

Beau Scott escaped with a slap on the wrist for two separate hits on Thurston while Jeremy Smith and Chris Houston were not even charged for a knee and a lifting tackle.

Just 98 carry over points and one penalty was Newcastle’s punishment for dangerous tactics that rugby league immortal Andrew Johns described as “cheap shots”.

Scott pleaded guilty to a grade one dangerous contact charge for a lifting tackle on Thurston but was not charged for a late hit on the playmaker’s ribs long after he had passed the ball.

All NRL clubs are sure to take notice of how effectively the Knights nullified Thurston through pushing the boundaries.

“I’m all for pressure being put on halves, you can’t let them run around in dinner suits, but they’ve just opened a can of worms now,” Gillmeister said.

“Every back rower now has got a licence to do it.

“If Gavin Cooper comes out and hits Anthony Milford off the ball on Friday is he going to be charged?

“I will guarantee you the Cowboys forwards will be fired up this week.

“You can’t do anything about it anyway.

“I never agreed with the no punching policy.

“What is a forward going to do now if someone hits your halfback or whoever late off the ball?

“If he comes in and throws a punch he gets two weeks for it.

“You’re better off taking your handbag out there.”

NRL headquarters promised greater transparency last week when they gagged all players or coaches from criticising them, but yesterday officials rejected requests for either head of football Todd Greenberg or match review chairman Michael Buettner to discuss the inconsistency of charges.

The Cowboys are privately furious about the charges but do not want to comment for fear of a $10,000 fine.

Former match review chairman Greg McCallum said referees and the judiciary had to crack down on the illegal targeting of playmakers.

“They are definitely targeting kickers and this year you can see the force being used has gone up a notch as well,” he said.

“It is becoming a concern. The contact on players like Cooper Cronk and Thurston is increasing.

“While it is accepted they will keep doing it.

“We need to get the balance right of a kicker being able to get his kick in without being hit because otherwise the players will take it into their own hands and all sorts of things happen from there.

“The referees and touch judges must be vigilant. They have to be on top of this.

“It is as much a refereeing issue as a judiciary issue.”

Smith was voted players’ player following the Knights victory over North Queensland.

The Knights also targeted Thurston heavily in their clash last year with Scott again the main offender.

Cowboys coach Paul Green revealed during last year’s finals series that Newcastle’s borderline tactics in round 15 woke his forward pack out of a slump.

The Cowboys won nine of their next 11 games.

“I go back to our Newcastle game and I felt on that night we got a little bit bullied,” Green said.

“In particular, some of their players paid particular attention to JT.”

