Tallyn Da Silva’s play-acting was embarrassing. Sadly, it wasn’t illegal

The sight of Parramatta hooker Tallyn Da Silva trying to milk a penalty late in the game on Sunday night was one of the most embarrassing things witnessed in the NRL this season.

Da Silva was collared by North Queensland forward Kaiden Lahrs and thought he was about to receive a fresh set, or even a shot at goal, in the 77th minute.

When the dummy half realised referee Liam Kennedy was not going to blow his whistle, he put his left hand to the top of his head and rolled around on the ground in a performance that would have made any footballer in Serie A or the Premier League proud.

Da Silva found himself on the end of several verbal blasts from Mitchell Moses – and the Eels skipper would have been well within his rights to give him a fresh bake for the childish carry-on.

Kennedy ordered Da Silva to play the ball, the bunker felt no need to intervene – they can only do so if they believe the tackle was a chargeable offence – and Lahrs’s name was nowhere to be seen on the match review committee’s charge sheet on Monday morning.

Rugby league prides itself on the toughness of its players, and laughs at the gamesmanship often seen in rival codes – but Da Silva was not the first player to stay down, and will not be the last.

Only a few hours earlier, up on the Gold Coast, Jayden Campbell was collected high in the 79th minute – only to bounce to his feet and get on with play. The tackle was quickly forgotten.

Titans fans could have been forgiven for wishing Campbell had produced his best “Da Silva” and stayed down.

A penalty would have given them a kick in front of the posts to level the crucial clash against South Sydney, and potentially keep the wooden-spoon race well and truly alive.

The number of players staying down has started to creep upwards. But they make sure they jump to their feet before they clutch at their face or head. If they stay on the deck, they risk being sent for a head injury assessment. The issue was certainly discussed inside league HQ on Monday.

But what can be done to get rid of it? Do we penalise players for making geese of themselves? What happens if players are seriously injured?

Wests Tigers skipper Api Koroisau had this to say on the issue when we asked him at Monday’s Gadhu Gathering: “I know blokes in this team who haven’t stayed down this year, even though they’ve copped it and got up with bloody noses.

“It’s not in the spirit of the game. But I also understand why players do it. If you can earn your side a penalty, why wouldn’t you do it?

“You try to gain an advantage any way you can. Sometimes it’s an advantage. I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is.”

Moses made his own headlines for the language he used with Da Silva, berating him for several errors and poor passes. Fortunately, the forgettable few minutes by the new blue and gold recruit did not cost them the win against the Cowboys.

James Tedesco, the Sydney Roosters skipper, and one of Moses’ best friends, certainly saw the funny side in it, and had already joked with him about it on a private WhatsApp group.

“That’s how Mitch plays, he’s very passionate, and [gets upset] when the dummy-half doesn’t give him the ball – – I think Tallyn will pass it off the deck next time,” Tedesco said.

The Da Silva theatrics aside, another issue that caught the attention of several stakeholders was the decision to award Cronulla’s Teig Wilton a penalty try after being tackled in the air by St George Illawarra winger Tyrell Sloan. It was a stinker, and expect the rule to be reviewed in the off-season.

If the defending player does not place the attacking player in a dangerous position, then play on. It’s common sense.

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