FORMER Cronulla halfback Brett Kimmorley backed a “common sense” approach as the NRL Match Review Committee chose not to charge Paul Gallen for using his forearm.

The Sharks skipper dropped his arm into the throat of Brisbane enforcer Josh McGuire in Sunday’s clash.

Despite suggestions a charge could rub him out of Friday’s Test match for Australia, the NRL has cleared Gallen for the game.

Kimmorley had argued that the authorities needed to look at NRL and rep games in a different light, ahead of the MRC’s decision.

Round 19

“It doesn’t hit him in the head, it hits him in the throat,” Kimmorley said.

“I don’t know whether it deserves to miss a Test match.

“There’s got to be some leniency in what game you’re about to miss. We’ve got to use common sense and say ‘Test match is a bit more than club, so are semi-finals and grand finals.

“… as a Sharks friend of Paul Gallen, no charge.”

Paul Gallen lands a forearm across the throat of Josh McGuire. Source: FOX SPORTS

All that and more in Highs, Lows and Big Blows for round nine.

HIGHS

Sharks beat Broncos and Gallen scores a screamer

Fans of the original Rugby League game on PlayStation will remember Andrew Voss’ distinct call of “he’s like a gazelle when he puts his foot down”.

Well on Sunday Voss wasn’t calling the action for Cronulla but Paul Gallen sure put his foot down.

The Sharks’ fearless leader scored one of the tries of the round when he chased after a Mick Ennis kick to beat Anthony Milford to the ball.

Speaking to Fox Sports on Monday, Kimmorley believes the Sharks are genuine force in the NRL season following their 30-28 win over Brisbane.

He said the club has the perfect mix of experienced leaders and exciting youth to give the competition a real crack this year but now the challenge for Shane Flanagan’s men is to handle the pressure that goes along with it.

“It’s certainly the best roster they’ve had for a number of years,” Kimmorley said on Fox Sports News.

“They’ve got to become contenders and handle the pressure of actually being a top four side and being a contender and having that expectation.

“You need to raise the bar higher than saying ‘we’re just competing’ we are now a genuine force and they’ve got to handle the pressure.

“Yesterday was the first taste of handling pressure ... there’s going to be that internal pressure people are now going to say’ ‘this is our year’ but they’ve got to handle that, that’s what being an NRL player at a club that’s never won a comp is all about.”

Manly’s team try

Easily the try of the round, Manly’s team effort was a piece of football to marvel at.

While they went down to North Queensland, tries like the one scored by Pita Godinet will give the Sea Eagles great confidence as they continue to build momentum this season.

The piece of brilliance was sparked by a strong run by prop Siosia Vave.

The forward then offloaded at the line to Godinet who ran 15 metres before finding big Jake Trbojevic on his inside.

When Kyle Feldt got in Trbojevic’s way, the prop put boot to ball with Godinet winning the race to score beside the posts.

Eels lift without Foran

If any team had an excuse to not produce it was Parramatta.

The salary cap drama consuming the club is one thing but losing your marquee player just two days before a game for personal reasons is something else.

But the Eels never wavered.

Brad Takairangi was rock solid in Foran’s place, scoring a try and contributing to another two as he and Corey Norman orchestrated a 20-12 win over Canterbury.

Pearce returns with a bang

He spent eight weeks watching from the sidelines as he served an NRL imposed suspension for poor off-field behaviour but the Roosters halfback was fast to make up for lost time.

While he played a hand in a couple of tries, Pearce finished off a cool team try to cap off a successful return.

Saturday’s win lifted the Roosters from the bottom of the table and into 15th spot for their second win of the season.

Johnson milestone try

The Warriors may have been without six suspended players but superstar half Shaun Johnson produced in their absence.

Johnson took on the line to bring up his 50th try and 600 career points in his side’s win over St George Illawarra on Sunday.

LOWS

Lyon’s Academy Award winning ‘dive’

Jamie Lyon take a bow.

The Manly veteran can expect his Academy Award in the mail after his stellar theatrical performance briefly halted the Cowboys procession at Brookvale.

Lyon hit the deck like he’d been thrown out of a plane after slight contact from North Queensland centre Kane Linnett as he ran a decoy.

The try to Cowboys fullback Lachlan Coote was subsequently denied by the bunker, with Linnett ruled to have obstructed the Manly skipper.

Lyon’s efforts drew plenty of derision on social media, while opposing skipper Matt Scott suggested “there was probably a bit of a dive in that one” when questioned about the decision in a postmatch interview with Fox Sports.

At the time the Cowboys held a healthy 22-6 lead, and went on to record a comfortable 34-18 win to take a share of equal first on the ladder.

Sticky blows up over matchwinner

Who would want to be an NRL coach?

Ricky Stuart blew up over the matchwinning field goal which saw his side lose 19-18 to the Panthers, claiming his players were obstructed in their attempt to stop Penrith veteran Peter Wallace.

Referee Gavin Reynolds referred the incident to the bunker, with replays showing Canberra defender Paul Vaughan being held back by Trent Merrin with Wallace sitting some 10 metres back and set for the kick.

But still the field goal was given and a penalty was ignored.

“Theirs’ wasn’t a field goal,” Stuart said following the match.

“There’s a new rule in place this year where you’re not allowed to have blockers to impede a player that’s chasing down the kicker of a field goal.”

BIG BLOWS

Sims belts Burgess with shoulder

Newcastle forward Korbin Sims could be facing a stint on the sidelines following an ugly shoulder charge which floored Roosters winger Joe Burgess.

Sims hit Burgess high with his shoulder as the English international was trying to work the ball out of Roosters territory.

Burgess tried to get back to his feet, but stumbled over and was immediately taken off for a concussion test.

Roosters fans were left seething as the tackle was replayed on the big screen.

The 21-year-old winger failed the examination and played no further part in the match.

Bromwich sin binned for punch

What on earth was he thinking?

Melbourne utility Kenny Bromwich landed himself in the sin bin for throwing a punch at Gold Coast forward Ryan James.

Bromwich burst out of the defensive line to put a hit on Tyrone Roberts but the half had passed the ball by the time Bromwich floored the little man.

James took issue with the contact and a scuffle broke out.

Bromwich appeared to push James and then throw a punch at him before players from both teams converged to get involved in some push and shove.

Tedesco fractures shoulder

Star fullback James Tedesco has been dealt a huge blow with the star fullback sidelined indefinitely thanks to a fractured shoulder.

The injury occurred during Wests Tigers’ 30-22 win over South Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Thursday.

Tedesco injured his left shoulder in the ninth minute of the game, with scans on Friday revealing a shoulder blade fracture.

Tim Mannah injured again

Parramatta skipper Tim Mannah is facing another stint on the sidelines are re-injuring his shoulder against the Bulldogs.

Mannah was in his return match for the Blue and Gold after recovering from a fractured shoulder blade which he suffered in round four against the Wests Tigers.

The Eels’ club captain left the field in the 18th minute of the game and failed to return.