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Issac Luke only has himself to blame if he misses the grand final

28th September, 2014
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What about getting rid of all the Sydney sides for four super clubs? (AAP Image/ Action Photographics, Robb Cox)
Expert
28th September, 2014
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The NRL match review committee did the right thing in charging Issac Luke for his dangerous throw on Sonny Bill Williams, and if the judiciary panel doesn’t suspend him it would need a very good reason.

The fact the game Luke would miss if he was suspended is a grand final isn’t that very good reason. I don’t buy the argument that because it’s the biggest game of the year that should be taken into account when it comes to penalty.

If Luke had faced a similar charge in, say, round 16, and taken the early guilty plea and missed a game, no-one would have batted an eyelid, but because a chance to play in a grand final is at stake all hell breaks loose.

I get why. It’s a massive occasion and a fabulous opportunity. But I still don’t see why that should change the standard approach. If the league wanted to make adjustments to the rules for the sake of big games like grand finals, then surely it would have done so by now.

A perceived lack of consistency is overwhelmingly the major criticism of the match review committee this season, and I certainly support the theory that they have been inconsistent with their decisions in relation to charges.

But they got it right on this occasion and now it is up to the judiciary panel to decide whether Luke goes down or gets a reprieve.

It should be noted that the match review committee didn’t smash Luke. If he had a clean record then an early guilty plea on the grade one charge would see him avoid suspension and there would be no drama. It is his prior record that has pushed his penalty points tally over the limit.

Does anyone really think he shouldn’t have faced any charge at all for the tackle on Williams?

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It’s very unfortunate for Luke that he has run into such trouble at this stage of the season, but, let’s face it, the timing is his own fault.

The league is supposed to be cracking down on dangerous throws for an obviously very good reason. If Luke hadn’t been charged it would have been a bad look for the game.

Now, if he can go to a hearing and his defence team can mount a valid and strong argument that results in a not guilty verdict, then good luck to him. But that is the only way it should happen.

The inevitable wave of sentiment in Luke’s favour shouldn’t have any influence on the outcome.

There has been talk that Williams could be called to give evidence on behalf of Luke. Williams has already been quoted in the media saying it was a nothing tackle and that it would be wrong if Luke missed a grand final because of it.

Williams giving evidence wouldn’t hurt Luke’s case, but it wouldn’t necessarily help it, either. I don’t know if it would mean anything.

Many years ago, it wasn’t unusual for the victims of offences to provide evidence in support of charged players, but the practice seemed to fade out in time.

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Presumably, it was because it too often seemed fairly obvious that players were driven by the desire to look after fellow players and that the actual reason the hearing was on in the first place was of secondary importance to them.

What impact any evidence from Williams might have, we would have to wait and see.

Anyway, grand final week has got its grand final week dramas, with the charge against South Sydney hooker Luke and the foot injury to Canterbury hooker and captain Michael Ennis.

It would appear Ennis has no chance of playing, after suffering fractures to his foot.

The wording of a Bulldogs media release, which said the club’s medical staff would work overtime on him but that he faces an uphill battle to be fit, gives the impression it is braced for the worst-case scenario but out of respect doesn’t want to rule Ennis out until he has come to terms with his fate.

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