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The banning of the shoulder charge was a poor move by the National Rugby League. However, penalising Wests Tigers winger Marika Koroibete when he saved a certain try for a shoulder charge would have to be up there with one of the more farcical decisions in rugby league history.
Although plenty of questions remain on the quality of Ray Hadley as a TV commentator, he was spot on on this occasion.
He called it as ‘a great tackle, a try saver’.
All of which was correct.
The point is, Koroabete had no other option other than to through his shoulder into the tackle as Cowboys winger Ashley Graham looked certain to score.
What is the coach going to think if he gentle wraps his arms around him and let him score a try in the corner while giving his legs a nice little hug? If he does he might as well help him up and wish he all the best for the rest of the match.
Rugby league is not rugby union where banning the shoulder charge has had no great consequence on the game.
Where as the rah rah’s run a few metres from the back of a ruck before some overweight forward brings them down and they all jump all over each other again, league has proper collisions.
Sometimes in league, you need to brace yourself for a collision and use your shoulder and body to make the tackle.
Sometimes in league, as in this case, you need to use your body to save a try. To follow the leather patch brigade and ban the shoulder charge lacks a feel for the sport. It lacks common sense..
What should have happened is to ban contact with the head of the opposition. As simple as that. To penalise a player for making a great tackle lacks logic. As a matter of fact, its ridiculous and farcical. It needs to be changed.
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