NRL star Corey Norman reckons Parramatta teammate Darcy Lussick’s brutal high shot on Sydney Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was a “good hit” and doesn’t deserve a lengthy suspension.
The Eels prop is likely to cop a heavy charge by the league’s match review committee on Monday after being put on report for catching his former Manly teammate across the head in side’s 56-4 loss on Saturday.
There have been suggestions Lussick could face a ban of up to seven weeks.
But asked his thoughts on the swinging arm before a recovery session on Monday afternoon, Norman said: “It was good.”
“It fired us up there in the back 20. We needed it.
“I think they’re good mates and it came off his shoulder first.”
Pressed on whether he deemed it worthy of a grade-five reckless high tackle, as has been predicted, the five-eighth said that would be “harsh”.
Senior Eels forward Ben Smith said he didn’t see the shot but conceded it was serious enough to have drawn the fiery reaction from the Roosters and their coach Trent Robinson.
“I don’t think Darcy came in with any intent to do what he’d done,” Smith told AAP.
“It’s rugby league and these things happen.”
Lussick doesn’t have the greatest records with the NRL judiciary, and carries a loading following a number of charges last season and in 2012.
But Smith doesn’t believe that’s a good enough reason for him to change the way he plays.
“He’s a front-rower and it’s probably one of the hardest positions you can play in the game,” he said.
“For Darcy to tone it down, then he’s going to lose that edge.
“As a team, we need him on the park and we also need his physicality and his aggressiveness.”