United Slam Dirty Tactic Claims

Melbourne United has emphatically denied claims they implemented dirty tactics against Cairns Taipans star Keanu Pinder in last Friday night’s game.

Taipans coach Adam Forde called out United for using “questionable tactics” against Pinder last week, which led to him suffering a lateral ligament strain on his left ankle, ruling him out for the club's New Year’s Eve game.

Forde added Melbourne “targeted” Pinder, but United has fired back, slamming any suggestion they tried to hurt the MVP contender.

“Melbourne United rejects comments made about the team in the media by Cairns Taipans coach Adam Forde following United’s victory in the Open Air Game,” a club statement read.

“Every team's best player is subject to extra defensive attention, however for an opposition coach to suggest intent to injure by our players is disrespectful and plain incorrect.

“Melbourne United’s players and coaches pride themselves on playing the right way and have a clear history of doing so.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Keanu Pinder emerged from the Round 12 clash with Melbourne sporting a bloody lip and a moon boot. He&#39;s now in doubt to take part in the <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CairnsTaipans</a>&#39; double-header this weekend ?<br><br>More ? <a href="https://t.co/skyTAGj3VH">https://t.co/skyTAGj3VH</a> <a href="https://t.co/XOnvp3GNbq">pic.twitter.com/XOnvp3GNbq</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1608671880910884864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

United coach Dean Vickerman told Newscorp Pinder is getting extra attention due to his incredible season.

“Just like any great player coming through our league, they’ve got to go through that. I thought it Jock Landale went through a similar sort of period. Keanu kicked our a**e the first couple of times we played them and obviously we put extra attention into him, but we’re certainly doing everything legal and we’d never want to see a player hurt themselves," Vickerman said.

Forde believes Pinder was directly pinpointed by United and isn’t getting protected.

“It’s one thing to send a double team, it’s another thing to have guards sliding in at all different angles to try and draw, whether it’s a charge, a block, or a no call, regardless of what the officials call it, the result is Keanu is picking himself up off the floor. That’s jeopardising his ankles, that’s jeopardising his health,” he stated. 

“I’m asking for protection for Keanu out there because they [United] make no secret about him being targeted, they make no secret about him being a key focus of their defence, but the reality is he’s so dynamic, he’s so athletic and so gifted that they don’t have anybody necessarily capable of defending him one on one.”