NRL legend calls for life ban for Panthers trainer who allegedly sledged South Sydney star

South Sydney have revealed that an ugly sledge from a Panthers trainer directed at former Penrith star Jed Cartwright sparked the controversial confrontation on the weekend.

Panthers physiotherapy Pete Green was on the end of a verbal slamming from Cody Walker, who was reportedly defending Jade Cartwright after an alleged sledge, according to Sydney Morning Herald.

The Rabbitohs claim Green had crossed a line with a verbal insult directed toward Cartwright about a broken back he sustained while playing for the Panthers.

Now, former Panthers star and father of Jed, John Cartwright has claimed Green should be banned for life should the allegation be correct.

He told the Daily Telegraph: “If it’s true that a trainer was sledging an opposition player then he should be banned for life.

“It’s the lowest act in the game – the lowest of the low. That’s not on. You shouldn’t have to cop any sledge off a f***ing trainer.

“The game is hard enough without copping it from someone you can’t have a crack back at. It’s the height of being a coward.

“You cop sledges from opposition players, which is fair enough – you can say what you like. But you don’t need it off a bloke you can’t tackle or be tackled by.

“If there’s a bloke out there running with privilege, and he is privileged to be doing the job that he does, but if he’s sledging opposition players, then, as I said, he should be barred for life.”

Meanwhile, NRL analysts Paul Kent and Phil Rothfield called on the league to take action for the grand final this weekend against both Pete Green and fellow trainer Shane Elford after discussing the full extent of the sledge. 

Kent said on NRL 360: “He had a go at him on the weekend over something to do with his back, which is just well out of line.

“He was treating him for a medical condition as the physio and then was sledging him about it during the game.

“And as John Cartwright says, a player shouldn’t have to cop a sledge off some bloke running a water bottle.”

Rothfield later added: “I think the NRL have got to do something about this.”

“I’m not saying this week.”

“They should do it this week,” Kent responded. 

“You can’t kick two trainers out of a grand final,” Rothfield said.

Kent replied: “Yes you can, they have got more staff there.

“The game hasn’t started. Get rid of them. The trainer should not be able to say one word to the opposition. Like you’re a trainer, come on. Get off.”