Despite the removal of fighting, the shoulder charge and Sam Burgess, Australia’s rugby league players still found a way to hurt themselves over the weekend with Luke Lewis injuring his shoulder on signage in the Kangaroos win over Fiji.
As far as injuries go it’s severe enough to rule him out of the rest of the World Cup and ranks somewhere in the injury credibility stakes between receiving a dozen stitches from an all in brawl with the 1978 Western Suburbs Magpies and doing your ACL cooking the family BBQ.
While pundits had talked up the clash of players like Akuila Uate and Sisa Waqa against Greg Inglis and Michael Jennings, it was the battle between Lewis and his advertising adversary that had tongues wagging at a sodden Langtree Park post-match.
And, for the next few days, may continue to do so.
Tournament rules state that players can’t be added to the squad that began the Cup, even in the case of injury.
In rebuttal to this Australian coach Tim Sheens has pointed out that he didn’t recall anything in the fine print about his charges being beat-up by inanimate objects and believes that the blame for the injury rests not on Lewis’ over zealousness to get on the scorers list but rather an OHS balls-up by the RFL.
Of course this isn’t the only injury to have happened when players and stadiums have collided.
Melbourne Storm’s Papua New Guinea flyer Marcus Bai suffered a severe laceration to his arm in the early 2000’s thanks to the ankle deep Olympic Park in-goals.
And, who can forget Justin Murphy’s concrete headstand at Wigan a few years back?
Well after watching that, probably Justin Murphy.
Lewis’ injury has created a surprisingly intricate situation, however, as the politics of international rugby league are likely to play a huge role in the final decision on the matter.
The RLIF would be cautious of providing the exemption to Sheens and having it seen by its onlooking members as though the schoolyard bully Australians are dictating terms.
At the same time though they probably wouldn’t want to further inflame the belief among the Kangaroos that the governing body desperately wants England to win the Cup and that the RLIF would happily help them achieve this by weakening the Kangaroos.
After all, last time I checked the shoulder charge ban hadn’t yet applied to coaches in hotel foyers.
Whist his injury was incredibly unfortunate, I’d like to see the RLIF back themselves here and not allow the replacement player.
Footy players are always happy to tell the press that they’d be prepared to “play the game in the car park” if need be (except Matt Orford), so I don’t think any of them would baulk at playing at grounds with shortish in-goals.
You have to play to the conditions and surroundings, and I’m sure on his numerous B and B stays I mean fact finding missions to the UK Tim Sheens would have mumbled something about the pint sized in-goals into his Apple Newton.
The whole incident is unlucky, yes, but if the World Cup rules says no replacements to the squad then Australia should be prepared to tough it out and soldier on with 23.
Unless the delightful Darren Smith happens to be holidaying nearby somewhere of course…
Bob
Guest
And Micheal is a joke of a person.
Storm Boy
Guest
James O'Connor.
Scott
Guest
Who would you replace him with anyway?
SA
Guest
I'm sure he could be replaced by a player from the USA, Italian, Scottish, Welsh, Samoan, Tongan or Cook islander teams. Plenty of aussies in there.
Jz
Guest
May be they could replace him with a player from one of the smaller nations in the comp..... isnt that what they usaly do take from the smaller nations to give to the big three....
deanp
Guest
why not? It was an injury waiting to happen given the substandard grounds in Pommyland. Collisions with advertising boards are fairly common over there. I'd call it negligence on the part of the organisers. Nothing freakish about it at all.
Rob
Guest
Who really cares? Our main focus must be on beating the Yanks in the quarter finals! Play one of the reserves who travelled with the team. USA is a danger game. Focus guys, focus!!!!
Michael
Guest
Just replace him with someone from England, as it seems that anyone can play for any team, what a joke of a tournament
Clark
Guest
No of course not. That is why there is more than 17 players selected in the squad in the first place isn't it?
Johnno
Guest
Exactly needs to do the same. AB'S replaced Dan Carter/Colin Slade, for Cruden/Steve Donald. Player welfare and ruins the quality of tournament, if one team is very injured and exhausted squad, as can't rotate.
DubbleBubble
Guest
Wasn't there a 48 hr replacement rule in the Rugby Union WC. Why don't they have it in the League WC?
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
He shouldn't be replaced. Hard luck stories or whatever else they are called are simply part and parcel of the story of sport. Only in the event of a mass accident could you justify bringing in replacement players and that hasn't happened so....
Scott
Guest
I agree. He shouldn't be replaced. They have papalli and cordner there for that reason. If anyone on the first choice team was injured over there is a back up ready to take he's place and if he's not a straight fit there is enough talent in the squad to make a few changes to strengthen the team.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Chris, I'd say that's the whole point of having a 24 man squad is that if there are injuries, you've picked others there to take the spot for this particular reason. There's no way any team should receive exemption from the rule... not Samoa nor Australia.
The eye
Guest
Samoa applied to replace Winterstein ,tore his pec off the bone and were denied by the RLWC organisers who according to Sky Sports have discretionary power..
James
Guest
why not. Its the RLWC after all.
Storm Boy
Guest
Well, it's the Kangaroos, and we can't afford to be at a disadvantage against all these other RL power house nations, can we. Lewis was injured playing the game. No squad replacement allowed. What if at half-time a Kangaroo tripped over a chair in the dressing room and pulled a hammy? Replace him in the squad too?
Kris Swales
Expert
Short answer, no. Long answer, no they shouldn't.
Cleveland Steamer
Guest
I'm sure the Aussies can handle themselves with 6 reserve players instead of 7