Morgan Smithies, a forward for the Raiders, may find himself in hot water following a suspected headbutt directed at Fonua Pole during a recent match. The incident occurred about 20 minutes before the final whistle when Smithies collided with Api Koroisau, approximately 25 metres from the try line, on the third tackle. As the play unfolded, Pole and Alex Twal approached from the side, with Pole making contact with Smithies’ head using his shoulder.
Following the hit, Smithies retaliated by headbutting Pole, after which Pole stood up smiling, while Smithies exchanged heated words. Blood was later seen streaming down Smithies’ face, raising concerns about the altercation. Notably, the referee did not penalise Smithies for his actions, and there was no intervention from the Bunker during the game. However, it remains possible that the match review committee may choose to scrutinise the incident further.
It’s worth mentioning that Smithies was not involved in the first tackle but joined the fray on the third. He attempted to dab the blood from his face in subsequent plays while continuing to run with the ball. This incident unfolded during a set of play, where a knock-on by Jed Stuart immediately followed the Raiders’ next attack, which further postponed the game as Smithies received medical attention from Canberra’s trainer. The scrum was paused as both teams awaited Smithies’ return to the field.
It will be interesting to see how the match review committee will respond as they assess the incident further.