- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Never in my life have I been so disgusted with the world of rugby league as this week.
The problems began in the 28th minute of State of Origin Game 1, when Josh Reynolds lifted Brent Tate so that his head dipped below his waist and ankles.
As soon as it took place, I knew (hand on heart) Reynolds would not be suspended. At least not from Game 2.
After the soft punishments handed out to Greg Bird, Tariq Sims and Apisai Koroisau, I had no reason to suspect the NRL would finally put its foot down and say that enough was enough.
After the horrific Alex McKinnon incident, Todd Greenberg made some strong statements: “We are lowering the threshold for a dangerous tackle charge”, and “We want [the match review panel] to police it ruthlessly”.
No worries, Todd. Just make some grand statements, saying that “there now is clarity and consistency” and everyone will forget how nothing has changed. Everyone will forget what could happen in these tackles and only focus on the outcome.
This was a golden opportunity for the NRL to start leading the way in player protection. No longer would there be any conspiracy theories about match review panel and judiciary bias. Instead, the fans, journalists, players and administrators are more confused than ever.
That Josh Reynolds isn’t even missing a club game makes me absolutely sick. Sick because some are saying that because Brent Tate wasn’t seriously hurt and Beau Scott “had control of him”, Reynolds deserved to walk away without a serious punishment.
Using that reasoning is like saying that I did nothing wrong because I drove past a primary school at 100 kilometres an hour and no one got hurt.
We should not be judging the severity of offences by their outcomes. This is the sort of caveman mentality that has plagued rugby league since Dally Messenger first played for Eastern Suburbs in 1908.
The real reason I am so disgusted with rugby league this week is the way the Reynolds tackle has been used as a medium to defend Josh himself and attack Brent Tate and Queensland.
Yes, Benny Elias, I am looking at you. The same Benny Elias who came to the conclusion that Queenslanders are using the Reynolds tackle as an excuse for their loss on Wednesday night.
“These Queenslanders, they just don’t know how to be graceful in defeat,” Elias told The Daily Telegraph.
“C’mon, just once, act with some class, a little humility. I’ve been around rugby league, around sport, a long, long time now and I’ve never known anyone to whinge in defeat quite like the QRL. It’s embarrassing.”
Those are some of the most disrespectful words I have ever heard. Not once have I heard a Queenslander claim they were robbed of victory on Wednesday night by a ref’s bad call or that New South Wales didn’t deserve their win. QRL chairman Peter Betros said they were unhappy with the ruling by the judiciary but accept it.
I ask you, Benny, is it reasonable to question whether or not a player who has committed the exact sort of offence that we know can cause serious injury should be allowed to escape suspension?
Meanwhile, Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach used these same events to criticise the integrity of both Queensland and Brent Tate:
“I saw where Tatey came out saying he had never been in a more frightening place or whatever – please…
“In fact, I’d go as far as to say there were a lot more dangerous things take place in that game. Some of the stuff around the ruck – knees, elbows, little headbutts – but this is a game of Origin football, it’s supposed to be hard.”
Changing the subject is the oldest trick in the book, Blocker. Also, questioning whether or not Brent Tate was really scared is an extremely low act.
As long as rugby league continues to let passion get in the way of common sense, we can have no hope of just sitting down and enjoying the game we all love.
These cowardly comments and actions by show an absolutely appalling state of affairs. As long as this sort of rubbish continues to go on, rugby league has no right to call itself the greatest game of all.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.