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First shoulder charge of 2013 whets the appetite

Roar Guru
10th February, 2013
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Roar Guru
10th February, 2013
23

Manly and Indigenous All-Star prop George Rose produced the first shoulder charge of the season in the 37th minute of the All-Stars match, and in the process was penalised for what many rugby league fans would deem a great shot.

I am one of those 2012 shoulder charge die-hards who wish for its re-inclusion already. It has or was part of the game for such a long time, until deemed inappropriate due to rising concerns for player safety.

While watching George Rose walk back to his mark and Josh Morris get back up from the shot, albeit with a sense of amusement written all over his face, it was apparent our professional players have not adapted to the new rule change.

The shoulder charge encompassed the attributes of aggression, power, strength and a domineering approach used over your opponent.

Both small and big men of rugby league would utilise this tool to benefit the defending team when a lift in intensity was required and that extra bit of oomph provided the confidence boost needed to respond in attack.

It could be a long season ahead and only one match has been played.

Our premier event, State of Origin, which has produced the tightest of contests in the history of rugby league, is yet to be played without the shoulder charge and I can only image how much its absence could affect what has been portrayed for years as the toughest contest in Australian sport.

To top it off, 26 rounds of NRL action, a finals series, and international fixtures are yet to be played, all deprived of the physicality a shoulder charge presents.

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So for gurus who love their statistics, keep an eye on how many shoulder charges occur throughout 2013, how many are penalised, how many go to judiciary and how many result in suspensions in excess of three weeks or more.

Although my wish for its re-inclusion may not eventuate, this is not the last we have heard of the shoulder charge. The shot by George Rose on Brett Morris, if witnessed, was your typical shoulder charge – powerful, aggressive and far from dangerous.

With one of the most appealing aspects lost to the game, its absence could produce more concerns. With players clearly not yet adjusted to the rule change, I believe it will create confusion in defence.

Players like Rose, Ben Te’o, Greg Inglis, Jarryd Hayne, Fui Fui Moi Moi will find its transition hard to grasp. I honestly believe when in defence, these players instinctively decide to shoulder charge.

Unfortunately a re-think will now occur, thought will turn to the next logical solution of a tackle, but the position a player is in will aid a swinging arm across the chops.

When the natural instinct of a shoulder charge occurs, a player’s body becomes like a missile aimed at the ball carrier, in the general area situated around the chest region.

Contact will occur at the centre point of both players and g-force created will throw one player flying back and the other stumbling, with one player generally coming out the other side worse for wear.

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Ok so it does sound a little bad (just a little), which aids me in understanding the reason for its absence, but when this sort of contact is generally applied throughout the course of a rugby league season, most players come out the other side just sore and bruised, nothing too concerning.

I believe what re-started the discussion as to whether its inclusion or absence is necessary was the incident involving South Sydney fullback Greg Inglis on St George Illawarra utility Dean Young.

At first glance, I thought the contact made was tremendous and filled with such g-force it could knock your socks off.

Upon review it was slightly sickening. The situation was not helped by the difference in height, weight, direction the players were running and lack of awareness Dean Young possessed in Greg Inglis’s imminent arrival.

Opinions were torn as for the shoulder charge’s continuing inclusion, as it has been part of the game for such a long time.

University Professor Peter Milburn has written numerous papers on injury prevention in sport, but made clear some important facts with regards to the shoulder charge.

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“The shoulder charge has a number of variables and is legally effective when executed correctly.

“More importantly it is what parts of the body are involved in the contact. If you are hitting a loose head, the impact conditions are quite different from hitting someone on the chest.

“The key thing is the point of contact.

“If you go in with a shoulder and you hit someone’s chest, that’s fine, because they are larger masses and they absorb the force.

“If you have a shoulder hitting the head, that’s when the impact is so much greater on the recipient of the tackle.

“It’s a crucial part of rugby league. People go to see the big hits.”

Milburn’s thoughts were pretty much spot on, especially the part about people attending league matches for the brute physical masculinity on display, which produces these big hits.

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One game for 2013 and already one shoulder charge. With roughly 200 games to be played throughout 2013, we could potentially see another 200 to come.

Worse, we could see the confusion created causing more defensive errors, resulting in more serious injuries.

I wish for its re-inclusion, but for a season looking to move forward, I hope players have been able to adjust.

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