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The Australian Rugby League Commission might have ticked a few things off the to-do list by the end of 2012, but one of their most important decisions needs to be made this week.
The TV deal, naming rights sponsor and CEO are all locked away and a resolution in the salary cap dispute between the players and head office is nearing conclusion.
Still, one of the biggest issues remains unresolved.
The ARLC has already announced its intention to ban the shoulder charge in 2013, but defining what is and isn’t considered illegal contact needs to be clarified quickly.
The NRL’s competition committee is expected to hand their recommendations to the ARLC this week and if the guidelines aren’t clear, the judiciary will be the busiest place in Sydney on a Wednesday night.
Interim NRL chief executive Shane Mattiske said almost a month ago that the “shoulder charge is not a significant part of the game and its removal is not likely to impact on the way the game is played.”
It’s hard to argue with Mattiske if you look at the numbers on face value.
Of the 142,355 tackles completed in 2012, just 0.05% of them were shoulder charges and less than 4% resulted in an injury to the attacking player.
The report handed to the ARLC also found that 17% of those tackles made contact with the head of an opponent.
So, in theory, they’re not huge numbers, but the figures will ultimately change with the definition.
Bulldogs forward Frank Pritchard was banned for one match this season for a hit that left Penrith winger David Simmons groggy.
This wasn’t your conventional shoulder charge.
Pritchard didn’t charge in, wind up or cock his elbow, but Simmons changed direction at the last minute and ran into the big man’s shoulder.
It could be classed as “unlucky”, but the ultimate outcome was contact to the head.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler believed Pritchard’s tackle was “legitimate” and that “Simmons I think is (190 to 193cm) and all of a sudden with his running style he becomes (160cm).”
Yes, Pritchard has a duty of care to steer clear of Simmons’ head, but only a hard marker would say it was a shoulder charge.
So, where does Pritchard’s tackle fit in with the new guidelines?
What about the shoulder charge in general?
If a player leads with his shoulder and connects with the sternum of the ball-carrier, should that also be considered illegal play?
The main priority should be harsher penalties for tackles like the one that left Wests Tigers forward Matt Groat unconscious after Ben Te’o levelled him with a shoulder charge.
Te’o was only suspended for two matches, yet that tackle was far worse than Pritchard’s hit on Simmons.
The two cases aren’t even vaguely similar, but only had slightly different outcomes.
No-one wants the laws of the game to resemble some archaic, macho set of standards where the biggest cheer is reserved for a knock-out blow.
Player’s heads must be protected, but if the shades of grey are suddenly taken away then the game is in for a rough season.
Greg Inglis wipes out Dean Young (Image: Fox Sports)
If the definition is too open to interpretation then clubs who are already wary of the ARLC’s impending announcement will be even more agitated.
But given the big stance, the statistics and reports, you can only assume zero tolerance will be in place with long suspensions the ultimate outcome.
After all, from the eve of the finals this season, players were already being referred straight to the judiciary for shoulder charges.
What can be more serious than that? The answer is what is worrying almost every coach in the NRL.
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