Rugby league legend blasts 'do-gooders' calling for ban after NRL player suffers injury

Rugby league icon Laurie Daley has hit out at the 'do-gooders' who demanded that Gold Coast's Jayden Campbell pick up a suspension after an incident that left an opponent with broken ribs and a punctured lung.

While Super League has been dominated by suspensions aplenty in the opening month of the season, one of the big talking points from the NRL's first round of fixtures was the fact Campbell actually escaped a ban for the clash with Parramatta's Sean Russell that left him facing a prolonged period out of the sport.

Campbell slid into Russell's torso as he reached out to score in the game between the Titans and the Eels on Sunday, leaving Russell in visible discomfort. It left plenty of fans expecting Campbell to be banned, but he ultimately escaped a charge from the NRL's Match Review Commission.

Daley, however, insisted people needed to calm down. "For me when I look at that I don't see him intentionally trying to knee young Russell. I see him going in to try and stop some guy from scoring a try," Daley said on the Big Sports Breakfast.

"It's unfortunate what's happened to young Russell and I feel for the young man. But for me personally, I look at that and I think the match review got it right.

"We can be all do-gooders here and say that you shouldn't be doing this but if you do want that type of game, it'll be a completely different type of game.'

The incident was strikingly similar to one in Super League that saw Wakefield's Max Jowitt pick up a two-match ban this season, with a swathe of suspensions across the competition already.

Super League coaches will meet with top RFL official Robert Hicks on Wednesday to discuss the issue, with many top-flight bosses keen to learn about how the clampdown in foul play can