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Cronulla centre Ben Pomeroy walked blindfolded into the NRL judiciary last night expecting to be made an example of. Instead, while waiting for the blow, he was hit by a nerf dart.
This was meant to be the case that helped rid the game of the shoulder charge.
Players were supposed to be quaking in their boots at the thought of producing anything other than a conventional tackle.
The judiciary had a clean slate to work off. Pomeroy was sent straight to the naughty corner.
The panel had the green light to set a new disciplinary benchmark as a deterrent, but in the end little has changed.
Pomeroy walked away with a two-week ban for a sickening hit on Johnathan Thurston at the weekend and although it has more than likely ended his season, it isn’t a fatal blow for the shoulder charge.
There is, of course, nothing wrong with this.
A two-week ban is about right when the incident is viewed through logical eyes, but this wasn’t a normal case.
The Australian Rugby League Commission had called for tougher action on the shoulder charge.
It seemed a tad over the top to not only send players straight to the judiciary for this type of challenge, but to also make that change on the eve of the finals.
The three man judiciary panel of Chris McKenna, Bob Lindner and Mal Cochrane could’ve been forgiven for adding an extra week or two on top of the traditional suspension for good measure.
The pressure must have been immense.
Thankfully, logic prevailed and Pomeroy got what he ultimately deserved.
The Sharks shouldn’t feel like they copped a raw deal.
Yes, it was slightly ridiculous to change the rules with one round to go in the regular season, but it didn’t harm their cause in the end.
The centre chose to launch into Thurston. He didn’t have to make contact in the manner that he did. Now, he misses the most important game of the season as a result.
That will be hard to take, but if you do the crime…
We now have a clearer indication of exactly what players can expect when they front the judiciary after nailing an opponent with a shoulder charge.
Has anything changed? The simple answer is no.
Whether this is what the ARLC had in mind remains to be seen, but it’s highly doubtful.
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