Cronulla have sought an explanation from the NRL as to why South Sydney forward Tevita Tatola was not sanctioned for the hip-drop tackle that left Will Kennedy with a serious ankle injury.
Kennedy needed surgery to repair the syndesmosis injury he suffered in the Sharks' golden-point win last Saturday night and is set to miss at least a month of football but Tatola was neither penalised on-field nor charged after the game.
The Sharks' general manager of football Darren Mooney contacted the NRL in the days after the game to seek clarification for the match review committee's decision to overlook the tackle.
"It's getting difficult to understand," Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said on Friday.
"I didn't understand the explanation but it is what it is. We move on.
"You really don't want to get stuck and dwell on what you can't control. All I can control is the team that's going to play this weekend.
"But we lose a good player and an important part of our team for an extended period and there's no charge."
On Tuesday night, the NRL judiciary handed Brisbane forward Patrick Carrigan a four-match suspension for the hip-drop tackle that left Wests Tigers lock Jackson Hastings with a season-ending broken fibula.
Tyrell Fuimaono, Thomas Flegler, Nathan Cleary and Billy Tsikrikas are among the other players to have been sanctioned for similar tackles this season, though not all have been hip-drops in the textbook sense.
Fitzgibbon said he felt hip-drop tackles were becoming more common but doubted they were coached.
"No one actually intends to do it. They are unfortunate and they're happening more than normal," he said.
"There's been an influx of these but they'll gradually dissipate.
"More players are aware of it, so they'll avoid it. I don't think they'll be an issue that sticks with us."
In Kennedy's absence, debutant Kade Dykes will line up at fullback against St George Illawarra at PointsBet Stadium on Saturday night and follows his grandfather and father to become the Sharks' first third-generation player.
The Sharks have been impressed by Dykes' form for Newtown in the NSW Cup and signed him to a new two-year contract in the lead-up to the Dragons derby.
"I'm really excited for Kade," Fitzgibbon said.
"He's got really good balance, speed and footwork. Hopefully we can see some of his best attributes tomorrow night."
The Sharks are hoping Kennedy may be available for the last game of the regular season, to be played against Newcastle, and could also give Lachie Miller some time at fullback in the intervening weeks.
"We're really confident (Kennedy) can push the boundaries of time expected to return to play," Fitzgibbon said.
