THE NRL has warned players that taking matters into their own hands will not be tolerated by officials as former league hardman David Gillespie predicted tonight's grand-final qualifier between Melbourne and Cronulla at the SFS could erupt.

Tensions between the two clubs have simmered this week through Cam Smith's date with the judiciary on Wednesday night, which resulted in the skipper being rubbed out of the contest - and a possible grand final the week after. The two coaches, Craig Bellamy and Ricky Stuart, have traded barbs during the week over the grapple tackle, which led to theatrics yesterday as both teams cancelled - then re-organised - their match-eve media opportunities.

With the only contest of the season between the two clubs resulting in two players, Brett White and Ben Ross, being sent off, there were fears hostilities could escalate again.

"There's a lot at stake," Gillespie, the former Bulldogs, Wests and Manly forward said. "There's a grand-final spot at stake. There'll be no prisoners taken out there. The extra bit of spice that happened this week, and what happened in the second round - who's to know what's going to happen this time?"

That brought a warning from the NRL that any retaliation similar to that taken by St George Illawarra and Brisbane after perceived grapple tackles could also bring about suspensions - potentially rubbing more players out of the October 5 decider.

"Clearly, stakes rise at this time of the year and emotions are always on a knife's edge," the NRL's chief operating officer Graham Annesley said. "Players are more likely to react to whatever happens in a game. But the players know full well that that [taking the law into their own hands] is a very risky business, and they could also end up being charged. They should bear that in mind."

Former Cronulla hardmen were also adamant yesterday that the Sharks must react to anything resembling a grapple tackle by complaining to the on-field official. It is an approach other sides have used with some success in recent months.

While referees boss Robert Finch said he had reminded his officials this week to ignore any complaints by players and judge each tackle on its merits, former Cronulla halfback Tommy Bishop encouraged the Sharks to "push the envelope" with Tony Archer tonight.

"Brisbane were throwing their arms in the air [last Saturday night against Melbourne] and I think it got to the referee a little bit," Bishop said. "I'd be trying that one again."

Former Sharks forward Les Davidson, who urged referees to sin-bin players for grapple tackles, added: "It just brings it to the ref's attention. If anything goes close [to a grapple tackle], the ref's going to be jumping on it."

Finch, though, revealed he had raised the recent on-field reaction by some players with his officials.

"The bottom line is, they need to ensure they identify the issues and not worry about the theatrics that go with that sort of stuff," Finch said. "If they believe it's a grapple tackle, they penalise it. They're not going to make a decision and blow a penalty on the whim of what a player does."

Smith's suspension polarised opinions yesterday. Former Queensland and Australian forward Gorden Tallis called it a "joke" and suggested officials were desperate to avoid having non-Sydney teams in the competition. Gillespie, meanwhile, said the NRL's belief that it could result in the eradication of the grapple tackle was far-fetched.

"I think it will take another 10 years to get rid of it," he said. "How can they take it out? It will just quicken the game up even more. If they got rid of it next week, the grand-final score would be 48-40."

John Farragher, an ardent campaigner against the grapple, said while he was glad to see stern action being taken, he felt sorry for Smith.

Farragher, who became a quadriplegic after a scrum collapsed on him while he was playing for Penrith against Newtown in 1978, said the NRL should have eradicated the technique long ago.

"If they had done that, we wouldn't be in the situation where one of the best players in the game has been suspended in the middle of a finals series," Farragher said. "Cameron Smith has got to take responsibility for what happened, but so does the league. It's not just Melbourne that does this. It should have been rubbed out of the game long ago, and the NRL should put its hand up and say it hasn't done enough. It is a lack of action that has contributed to what we've got now."