When Newcastle forward Alex McKinnon was dumped on the back of his head against the Storm in March last year, his life changed forever.
His neck broken, McKinnon’s gutsy dedication to months of rehabilitation has seen him avoid quadriplegia, but he’s still in a wheelchair.
You would have thought from that tragic day 17 months ago, no player would have made a dangerous throw, or lifted an opponent’s legs above the horizontal.
Not bloody likely.
I haven’t watched every minute of every NRL game since McKinnon was dumped, nor have I counted every dangerous throw, or legs being lifted above the horizontal. But I wouldn’t be far wrong by saying there have been at least 25 of either in the moments I’ve watched.
Yet offenders have been bashed by the judicial feather, with the exception of serial offender Greg Bird who copped an eight-week suspension for the fourth dangerous throw of his career that effectively cost him $90,000 in match payments for missing the entire Origin series.
Now that’s getting closer to the truth.
If offenders can’t get the message, and there’s far too many of them, forget the incident-on-report crap, a send-off should become automatic, plus 10 weeks suspension, and a $50,000 fine to a charity of the offender’s choosing.
At least a worthy organisation would benefit from the player’s stupidity.
But that’s just the start of the NRL’s problems.
Two months ago James Ackerman, playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons, died after a shoulder charge.
The 25-year-old is survived by his wife Saraa, and two young kids Oliver and Milly.
It took the NRL two months to outlaw the shoulder charge (again), with a Friday afternoon email to all clubs. That night, not having been advised of the email, Manly played the Rabbitohs. Willie Mason shoulder charged Tom Burgess, and copped two weeks. Manly coach Geoff Toovey was angry he wasn’t told of the shoulder charge email.
But last weekend all clubs were very aware of the new shoulder-charge edict, yet six players were charged with the offence.
Many players have been quoted as being unsure what a shoulder charge really is, but not Kangaroo, Queensland Origin, and Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith.
“I think the NRL are making a stance on tackles that can be quite dangerous,” Smith said.
“I know there’s a lot of debate about the shoulder charge and whether it is dangerous or whether it’s not. To me it’s pretty clear cut. A footballer lost his life as a direct result of a shoulder charge.
“So if there’s six incidents in those six charges over the weekend, players have got to get it through their heads that they can’t put that tackle on. Simple as that.”
We’ll see tonight if the judiciary rate it as simple as that.
If they hand down pitiful one or two-week suspensions, they can’t be serious.
How can they expect players to take shoulder charges seriously if the judiciary doesn’t?
And how dare anyone take James Ackerman’s death in vain. The ultimate penalty deserves far more respect and recognition than that.
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