Cronulla playmaker James Maloney has bitten back at North Queensland's criticism of his playing style and alleged "cannonball" tackle on James Tamou.
Cowboys co-captain Matt Scott suggested Maloney should come under scrutiny from the NRL match review committee for his tackle on the Australian and NSW prop during their opening round 20-14 win over the Sharks on Saturday night.
While Maloney was not charged, he was handed a concerning act notice by the NRL after he appeared to spear into the legs of Tamou, one in a series of tackles that reportedly raised the ire of the premiers.
The cannonball tackle, in which a defender attacks the legs of a player below the knee while he is being held upright in a tackle, was outlawed by the NRL in 2011 after a series of leg injuries.
But Maloney bristled at the suggestion he was guilty of dirty play, saying he hit 1.96m 114kg Tamou above the knee and was just trying to bring down a much bigger opponent.
"The rule is you've got to hit above the knee and I hit above the knee," Maloney said.
"It wasn't dangerous. When a big bloke like that plants his legs, how else do you get him down? You've got to bend the knee otherwise you don't put them on the ground."
