Trent Robinson has accused the NRL of going too hard on high-tackle bans, while claiming it is no longer worth challenging suspensions at the NRL judiciary.
The Sydney Roosters will be without Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for Sunday's match against Canberra, after he copped a three-game ban for a high tackle.
The suspension means Waerea-Hagreaves will not play again until the Roosters' second match of the finals, in what could double as his last game in the NRL.
Making the ban even more frustrating is the fact that Waerea-Hargreaves was only just returning for a four-match tackle when he hit Sam Verrills high.
Waerea-Hargreaves would normally have been able to escape with a one-game ban for the grade-two charge, but a horror record saw that it blow out to three matches.
Several other players are also in similar predicaments, with fines and prior charges having built up over the season.
"I would have liked him not to hit Sam in the head and go lower than that. But it's also not worth three weeks," Robinson said.
"Jared is aware of the situation if he goes high.
"But people miss a game or two for major things in our game outside of the high shots. And even for high shots. Three games is a huge percentage of our season.
"For that to be taken out of the game on two occasions. The balance is wrong for me. I don't think Jared should be missing three games."
Robinson also said it was not worth challenging the ban, with players automatically facing an extra match in suspensions if they are unsuccessful.
A total of 20 players have pleaded not guilty to charges in 2023 and 2024, with only six winning their cases and 14 losing.
"You don't really have a choice," Robinson said.
"The risk of that extra week is not worth it, they have changed the system so no one is really winning at the judiciary any more.
"The percentage is really low, so we weren't going to risk that extra week."
Roosters captain James Tedesco conceded earlier this week that Waerea-Hargreaves had let his teammates down with the back-to-back bans.
But Robinson bristled at suggestions the 314-game prop had been unprofessional.
"Why would you call it unprofessional? What's unprofessional about it?" Robinson asked.
"He hit him high. I don't think it's unprofessional, that's the wrong word.
"He doesn't want to hit him high, his technique needs to shift on that. I'd like it not to be the case, that would be ideal.
"But he has played 300-odd games, he's played a lot of time."
A win for the Roosters on Sunday would put them a step closer to a top-two finish and home final, while Canberra must win to keep their faintest of finals hopes alive.
