Melbourne's skipper Cameron Smith has admitted the two-game suspension which has ruled him out of Sunday's National Rugby League grand final against Manly is deserved, but says he still feels as if he's been made a scapegoat.
The Storm hooker wants to know why similar grapple tackles to the one he committed on the Brisbane backrower Sam Thaiday weren't punished.
He acknowledges the head-high tackle is illegal but says his club just wants some clarification as to why nothing was done about it before that.
Smith says if is good enough to send a message by suspending him, then why not other players?
The Storm's been fined $50,000 after coach Craig Bellamy and chief executive Brian Waldron criticised the NRL, the news media and the judiciary over the suspension.
