The Match Review Committee ruled that Bateman made an effort to get his body weight to the ground first, before Rudolf’s legs.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon declined to comment on Sunday. But privately the club is fuming at what it believes are inconsistencies in the Match Review Committee’s rulings on hip drop tackles.

Rudolf was the victim of a tackle earlier in the game that drew a dangerous contact charge against Tigers skipper Api Koroisau for swinging around onto the Cronulla prop’s legs.

Koroisau faces a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea to the charge, as does Stefano Utoikamanu for clipping Rudolf across the chin in the same tackle.

Should Rudolf require surgery, he would join Will Kennedy (against Souths in 2022) and Hunt (against Melbourne last year) in needing an ankle operation after an ugly tackle.

Then-Storm skipper Christian Welch was suspended for one week for his hip-drop on Hunt, who missed six games through injury, while Tevita Tatola was not charged for the tackle that floored Kennedy.

Rudolf said after full-time that he had no issue with Bateman’s tackle, describing it as “one of those unfortunate tackles in footy”.

“They’re saying it’s a possible syndesmosis, but we’ll just have to wait and see,” Rudolf said.

“I’ve booted it up as a precaution. It didn’t feel great, but we’ll see what happens.

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“It happened on my last run of the game. I had my legs taken out by John Bateman, and it was one of those unfortunate tackles in footy and I pulled up a bit sore.

“I’ve never done this injury before, so it’s hard to know what it’s meant to feel like, but all the signs aren’t too great with how it’s feeling.”

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