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Judiciary need to act on violent Inglis hit [VIDEO]

Roar Guru
22nd July, 2012
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Greg Inglis wipes out Dean Young (Image: Fox Sports)
Roar Guru
22nd July, 2012
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1161 Reads

Greg Inglis’s horrendous hit on St George Illawarra’s Dean Young in the Rabbitoh’s big win over the Dragons on Saturday night should have resulted in the Souths fullback’s instant dismissal.

No doubt the usual defences and excuses will be trotted out, but this was every bit as dangerous as a stiff or swinging arm, in fact more so because Young’s head felt the full force of Inglis’s upper body weight.

It was made worse by the fact Young was already being held by another Souths defender and was looking around for support, only turning to face the oncoming freight train that was Inglis at the last second.

Young left the field in a neck brace and on a stretcher. Inglis went on to help his side to a comprehensive win.

It beggars belief that an attack or contact to an opponent’s head, whether careless, deliberate or anything in between, can be tolerated in light of all the evidence about the damaging long-term effects of concussion.

Inglis’s hit ranged anywhere from extremely reckless to completely cowardly, and was totally unnecessary. Young’s progress had been effectively halted and Inglis could have locked the ball up in a smother tackle.

What possessed him to take the course he did I suppose only he can answer. However, the question he did answer on the field after the game when interviewed by Fox Sports – that he didn’t think there was too much wrong with the tackle – surely came from a man who hadn’t seen a replay or lives in absolute denial.

I have not seen a more vicious hit in the game this season, and whether it was a deliberate act is beside the point.

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This was not a case of a forward hitting the ball up one pass off the ruck, and an opposing player looking for a big collision, both men facing each other and emphasising the gladiatoral aspect of the game.

There has to be some sense of collective welfare on the part of the players in certain circumstances and Inglis showed no regard for Dean Young’s safety in this case. The judiciary need to act and give him the rest of winter off.

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