Ronaldo Mulitalo has called on the NRL not to crack down on sledging in the finals.
The Sharks winger admitted he pushes the boundaries on the field but insists it’s all part of the contest.
His comments come after Canberra’s Hudson Young was sin-binned for baiting Broncos star Reece Walsh last week.
Mulitalo says the game risks losing its edge if players are punished for words rather than actions.
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Mulitalo urges NRL to keep sledging alive
The fiery winger joked he would be suspended “for a year” if referees heard everything he said on the field.
“Everyone was bringing me up this whole week saying, ‘I’ll stuff it up for my team’,” Mulitalo told Fox League.
“I was telling Craig, ‘I promise I won’t say anything stupid’, and he was like, ‘don’t f—ing do that’.”
Mulitalo, who scored his 100th NRL try in the Sharks’ semi-final victory, believes sledging is part of the battle.
“It’s high stakes. Nobody takes it personally. And if you can’t handle words when you go out there, that’s on you,” he said.
“You can say whatever you want to me. I’ve been called plenty of things, but am I going to sit around and say, ‘he hurt my feelings?’”
‘It’s a man’s game’
Mulitalo explained there are limits, but stressed most players know the line.
“It’s tough. It’s a man’s game. If you’re getting hurt by words, obviously there’s a limit, you don’t bring in partners or kids - you never cross that line,” he said.
“With Hudson Young, he can say whatever he wants. I gave him a bit of lip, and he was giving it back. Not once did I say, ‘he hurt my feelings’.”
Mulitalo said he actually thrives on reactions from opponents.
“One hundred per cent (I love it when they react). That’s 1-0 me,” he added.
“If you play a video game and you laugh at your brother and he turns around and flogs you, you’re the real winner.”
Sharks demand respect through results
The Sharks are now one win away from the NRL Grand Final after a commanding performance in Canberra.
Nicho Hynes steered the attack while Addin Fonua-Blake led the forward pack in the upset of the minor premiers.
Mulitalo insisted the only way Cronulla can earn league-wide respect is by winning the title.
“We’ve been together for four years. I think we all know if we don’t get something done or get moving, we’ll pay the price,” he said.
“That’s how you lose players, and someone comes in to do a job. That’s what we get paid to do, and if you don’t get results, we know (what happens).”
Eyes on Melbourne clash
Cronulla now face Melbourne in a blockbuster preliminary final on Friday night.
Mulitalo dismissed outside noise about the Sharks’ finals credentials and urged his teammates to stay focused.
“Nobody is giving us a chance, there might be more excuses (after Saturday night), but that’s all right with us, we’ll keep our head down and keep going to work,” he said.
“We haven’t done anything. We don’t get the right to speak about respect when you haven’t earned anything.
“You earn respect by beating the best of the best.”