Neighboring Melbourne prop Christian Welch has hit back at new criticism of the club’s tackling tactics.
Defensive training has hit pillar-to-pillar over the past decade to implement mixed martial arts.
The Victorian club has been blamed for infiltrating “wrestling” in the NRL, as well as now-illegal tackles such as “chicken wing” and “cannon ball”.
Craig Bellamy’s coaching techniques are back under the microscope after News Corp reported last week about two separate tackles by Brandon Smith.
The nugget hooker-forward dived into the legs of two different North Queensland players, before Storm teammates carried the ball-carrier over the body and brought it to the ground.
Kyle Feld and Jason Toumalolo suffered knee injuries as a result of the tackle. However, the tackling tactic was not illegal and no charges were brought against Smith.
“Sadly, this is the bias of the Sydney media and they hate the storm because we have had some success,” an angry Welch critic told SEN Radio.
“The first thing I would say to these Gerns is to come down to Melbourne – they think we’re conspiring here and practicing dark art – we’re literally training in a public oval.
“This is Gosch’s paddock, welcome to come and see you. They may be a little disappointed.
“It’s a communication game, it’s a tough physical game. No one is going there to hit each other, but you have to go there and stop these guys.
“If you’re not tough on these guys, you’re going to smoke and you’re going to potentially injure yourself. I think that’s a bit of a no-story.”