Friday night saw another one of the National Rugby League’s ugly flaws rear its head again.
This time it was Ben Te’o knocking Matt Groat clean out and staying on the field. All the while, Groat is scratched and the Wests Tigers are down a player for the remainder of the game.
The Te’o hit and its legality is an argument for someone else at another time. You could say it was simply a perfect shoulder charge and unlucky for Groat. You could argue that contact was on the chin and deserves sanction.
The point is that Groat didn’t play another second of the game and the Tigers were down a player. Te’o was placed on report and the Broncos continued with seventeen men.
Who in their right mind believes that is fair?
If Groat is taken from the field due to injury from an illegal play, the perpetrator must leave the field with the victim and cannot return unless the victim returns.
Referees refuse to sin bin players in this day and age let alone send them from the field. This is the closest thing we can get to it. And it not only takes the pressure of the referees to do something about it, it puts the onus back on the player and whether he will continue to shoulder charge and risk time on the sidelines.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens wants to go down a similar path.
“He got him right on the point of the chin and he was out before he hit the ground” Sheens said at the post match press conference.
“It will be argued there was shoulder contact to the head. I’m not going to predict if they will cite him – I imagine they will – and if he does miss games, it will be the team they play next week who get the advantage, not us tonight.
“The issue today with referees, unlike the 70s and 80s, you get a really good replay of it, and if (video referee) Sean Hampstead didn’t think it was worth sending off, they normally tip them (the referees) off. “They put them on report, and I still think that’s the soft option, but they’re not to know the kid is out cold and can’t come back on.”
Manly’s Brett Stewart suffered a similar fate in the 2007 Grand Final when he was knocked out by Melbourne’s Michael Crocker with a shot that would have been put on report today.
Stewart failed to return, Crocker stayed on and Melbourne won the game easily.
Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin also spoke at the post match presser.
“I’d have to have a closer look at it, but it’s a shoulder charge. All of a sudden they’re illegal,” Griffin said.
“Anyone who understands the game understands a shoulder charge is not intentional. If you go in with a swinging forearm and the guy clocks him on the chin, they deserve everything they get.
“If he hadn’t stung the guy that well and he got up and played the ball, it would have been ‘play on’.
“If we’re going to be like that, they’ll just have to ban shoulder charges and be like rugby union – but I don’t know if we want to be like rugby union.”
The judiciary may find the tackle okay, but we wouldn’t know until the following week. Until then, if a player is knocked out and doesn’t return due to a suspected illegal tackle, both players leave the field.
Big_Marn2000
Roar Pro
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks this way. And good on you for still playing at age 42!
Anakin
Guest
Had so many things I wanted to say as I read this article and the ensuing comments - but you have summed it up perfectly! Its a collision sport, played by huge athletes who spend their time doing weights (at the elite level, at the next level down there is still some monsters playing the game) so there is always a case for injuries happening ... human bodies were not made to be bashed into each other at high velocity. I was knocked out in my 1st year of League at age 15, and suffered several concussions over subsequent years (several from blatant head high tackles) - yet did i pack up and drop out of the game? No chance!! Love the game! Even to the point I played last season in the local A Grade comp, aged 42! Its a tough sport, played by tough men (and even tough women) - which doesnt mean i advocate cheap shots or illegal tactics - it simply means that ppl will get knocked out, people will suffer serious injuries, and yet many many more will play the game they love for many many years. Dont agree, see step # 5 above :-p
Big_Marn2000
Roar Pro
Paul - You call me a fool and you describe a 1 on 1 shoulder charge (in which both players are facing each other and trying to knock the other out of the way) as a "cowardly blindshot". It's not cowardly because Groat was running at Te'o and it's not a blindshot because they were facing each other. A cowardly blindshot is the cannonball tackle or that tackle on Craig Wing a few years ago. Wing was being held by 2 players so he was defenseless (therefore the shot was cowardly) and he had his back to the tackler (therefore it was a blindshot). Like i said, if you don't like the shoulder charge, go buy a skirt (if you don't already have one - I'd be surprised if you didn't) and make like step 5 of the harden up program.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
@ Paul .. thats a stretch. Pritchard is an International on very good money, Te'o is a weapon and Vatuvei is one of the most exciting wingers in the world. Oh and hes an International.
Paul
Guest
you sir are a fool and prob a coward, has anyone noticed its only the standard first graders trying this cowardly blindshot, The elite players dont do it, wonder why?
Paul
Guest
lets see what you would say bob if someone kinghits you becuase thats the comparison, Shoulder charges are a cheap shot, I cant believe the fools that think blind siding somebody is tough.
Big_Marn2000
Roar Pro
what the hell is banning someone for 25 weeks going to do? If I was an NRL player and I got banned for 25 weeks I'd do a Sonny Bill and go out the back door to rugby (that is the only time I would ever advocate pulling a Sonny Bill).
Blaze
Guest
I don't see a problem with allowing the shoulder charge, just make it punishable if it goes wrong, whether by accident or not, and compensate the other team if a player is lost, that's all. Simple really.
Big_Marn2000
Roar Pro
Everyone seems to be very soft at the moment. I think we all need to harden up. Hardening up is a long and difficult process, which includes the following steps: 1. Visit your GP and get a prescription for some cement. 2. Go to the chemist and pick up your prescription. 3. Take your medicine as per the instructions on the package 4. Harden the **** up! 5. If symptoms persist, go play netball. Seriously, this is rugby league. It is a fast paced collision sport. Many of you people want to ban the shoulder charge on the basis that it can cause serious injury if it goes wrong. By that logic we should be ban the sidestep too because they occasionally cause season ending ACL injuries when they go wrong. It's never nice to see anyone get injured, and I acknowledge that concussions are very serious injuries. But at the end of the day, whether you ban the shoulder charge or not, accidents will still happen and injuries will still happen. That's the nature of the beast. If you don't like it, see step 5.
steve b
Guest
No ones talking about the big hits, its the shoulder charge and any other stupid tackle that could cause a season ending injury!!!!!!!
steve b
Guest
I agree and thats why its got to be banned then its instant off , that way the player gets punished and not the opposing team . thats if he can continue to carrie on and play its a shocker it needs to be gone,
Blaze
Guest
So your saying groat possibly knocked himself out? No matter which way you look at it, teo made contact with groats head, in fact enough contact to knock him stupid and render him non existent for the rest of the game. Whether it was accidental or not there is a player gone from the allocated amount of players allowed from one team, as a direct action from a player from the other team. This is highly unfair to say the least and to allow the disadvantaged an extra player in these circumstances is the only fair system. It doesn't punish the other team, if anything it still disadvantages the other team by including a lesser talented player. An I say this because he would have already been in the team if he was better.. The offending player being put on report goes thru the same judiciary proceedings and will answer to something then... Otherwise there is no favorable advantage to either side, so what is the issue. It makes complete and utter sense. It also stops the temptation of putting that player back out on the ground if the team got desperate enough... Saftey is a key point in this situation as well.
Roarsome
Guest
:) -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Matt bourke
Guest
Give Teo a break it was a good hit. If Sonny Bill had of done that same tackle he'd be getting praise for another Sonny Bill special! Big hits are what the fans like to see in the NRL. If you don't like it then start following ping pong.
steve b
Guest
Settle Pettle
Roarsome
Guest
Hey! Mate, you've gone and taken things too far. Leave Alfie alone. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
steve b
Guest
We had the cumberland throw , we had the alfie langer trip , and the chicken wing , and the crapple , , now we have a man being held up by two and the third man smashes his legs , and the shoulder charge , all of which in what ever form or whatever you want to call them damage players and the league need to have some balls and put in place some strict guildlines and stick to them. To many times we have heard the defense of the player say he fell into it or it was a bad angle and their was no maliice intended . Thats all crap ! These sorts of tackles are not needed in game , less injurys is the way to go for the future of the game. Commonsense prevail please.
Yeah Sure
Guest
So your willing to give a team an advantage when the whole situation hasn't been investigated to the full extent of the NRL reporting system? Incidents have been reported in the past and have been dropped when they reached the judicary. Just to give one team an advantaged on the night automatically just because someone got knocked out is pretty stupid reallly. I mean what if that automatic advantange cost the infringing team the game, only to have the perpertrator sent to the judicary and let off with out any penalty. That wouldn't be right, would it now. The system fine as it is. If the referee judges the infringment is bad enough for a penalties/send off then so be it. There's no need to change it.
oikee
Guest
They have not banned the Craig Wing tackle, they still are allowed to do this, every week you hear the commontator (Gus Gould) or someone saying they should ban these tackles. The missile and the prowler. They still allow them. As for anyone attacking the players head in a shoulder charge, yes 8-10 weeks, the point is that neither Prichard or Teo attacked anyone's head, they hit them flush which is a completely different senario. If you went for the head only, you would be banned. This is the point we are trying to get across, you need to allow for accidently concussion. Either extra interchange, or a extra player waiting in the wings each game. When you heard Gould Gus, the other day say to ban the tackle, that was a prowler, and nothing happened, the play went on as normal.
Yeah Sure
Guest
So has it been judged illeagal yet? Diddn't think the Judicary met until latter in the week. An incident is only reported if its susppected to be illegal. It is then passed on to the jurdicary to judge weather its actually was...is it not? If it was up to reporters to pass judgement then there would be no players left on the field.