Ex-NRL player Alfred Smalley says family threatened after shot on Warriors’ Taine Tuaupiki

Parramatta Eels centre Alfred Smalley says he and his family have received threats after copping a lengthy ban for a high tackle that knocked Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki unconscious.

The Auckland-born, former Manly Sea Eagles NRL player will be sidelined for five games after lodging an early guilty plea to the careless tackle in the closing seconds of the Warriors’ 46-22 New South Wales Cup win over Parramatta last weekend.

With the Warriors on attack in the final minute of the game, Tuaupiki received the ball about 10m out from the Parramatta try line. Smalley rushed out of the defensive line and put a high shot on Tuaupiki, knocking him unconscious.

Players from both sides ran in to confront each other as medical staff checked on Tuaupiki. He was able to walk off the field and Smalley was sent off.

Commentator Sam Hewat labelled it an “absolute dog shot here to the head”, and said there was “zero leeway for this in our game”.

Absolute dog shot here to the head of Taine Tuaupiki in NSW Cup. ZERO leeway for this in our game. 10 seconds to go in the match, down by 22 points, and you fly inside two of your own defenders to try and take a guys head off. Justifiably sent off in the game but should get more. pic.twitter.com/aT7Z2m1ZM9

— Sam Hewat (@samhewat) June 14, 2025

Smalley, 26, took to social media yesterday to thank everyone who had reached out and defended him publicly.

“With everything that’s been said in the media, I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t affected me in any way. [I’ve] been trying to get my head right after all the noise.

“Those who know me personally know that I ain’t a dirty player, nor would I try to put a dog shot on anyone because ‘I’m frustrated and lost my head’.”

Smalley, who has also represented the Niue national side, said at the time he “of course” thought it was a clean hit.

“Moving that fast in one motion, many things can go wrong. I thought I had hit him clean, but then again I wasn’t on the receiving end and obviously the bro got knocked out from it.

“Never have I ever rushed out of the line and deliberately aimed for someone’s head. He’s a short player and I ain’t the tallest player either. I misjudged it and I’ll own that.”

Smalley said he was “not going to change the way I play”, regardless of the score or amount of time left in a game.

“If you think, ‘It’s a dog shot, look at the score, look at the time, he’s going for the smallest player’, please go and watch the whole game because I didn’t only try and shoot out the line and put a shot on the ‘smallest player’ that game.

“For all of you complaining it’s a ‘sickening act’, maybe you should go and watch soccer or netball. This is a contact sport, high-speed collisions happen all the time.”

Smalley said after he realised Tuaupiki was hurt and heard the whistle blow for a penalty, he stood up immediately.

“I didn’t do anything dirty, nor did I say anything malicious to him because as I said I thought it was clean. I realised I was wrong and after I was sent off, I ran up to him and apologised as we both walked off the field.”

He said he apologised to Tuaupiki and his family who were in attendance again after the game, and reached out to check on him later that night, “because that’s all I could really do from my end”.

“I’ll own it and whatever consequence I get. But what I won’t stand for is being labelled a dirty player and have threats made towards me and my family.

“If ya want to say harsh things about my kids, please all I ask is come say it to my face.”

A match summary of the game on the New South Wales Rugby League website described the tackle as a “gruesome high shot” that completely knocked Tuapiki out.

Tuaupiki has made nine NRL appearances for the Warriors in 2025. Photo / Photosport

Warriors coach Andrew Webster told media Tuaupiki was given a day off from training on Tuesday.

“Quite obviously, it looked bad, but he pulled up pretty well afterwards. We just want to make sure he’s okay and look after him.

“It was tough to see. I was watching it at home in my lounge, it was such a good win and it was just an unfortunate circumstance at the end of the game.”

Webster said the Warriors would monitor Tuaupiki’s symptoms, but he would be sidelined for the NRL’s mandatory concussion stand-down period.

The 25-year-old has made 20 first-grade appearances for the Warriors, including nine in 2025.

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.