It’s been 10 days since Knight Alex McKinnon had his neck broken. For 10 days there has been not a peep out of John Grant, the ARLC chairman, nor Dave Smith, the CEO.
If ever rugby league needed some strong leadership, it’s right now.
League is a tough sport, none tougher. But lifting an attacking player’s legs is a no-no and must be banned forthwith.
That’s what happened to McKinnon, whose future is under a huge cloud after having his C4 and C5 vertebrae fractured.
Last night, Stormer Jordan McLean copped a seven-week suspension for the lift, but the agony he’s suffering now for what he contributed to will last a lifetime.
It defies description that the Bromwich brothers, Jesse and Kenny, have been completely exonerated from the dangerous tackle. Having said that, the main culprit was McLean, who today would be loving life in Melbourne and playing for the Storm had lifting been banned months, even years, ago.
Unfortunately for McLean he’s the bunny, and even more unfortunately, Alex McKinnon is the sufferer.
When will the rank and file stop calling this tragedy an accident? McLean deliberately lifted McKinnon’s legs, even though the Bromwich brothers had the Knight well and truly held.
There was no need for the McLean lift, except to inflict pain or dislodge possession. McKinnon was going nowhere.
Which brings me back to Grant and Smith. And if they have said something, I’ve missed it, and apologise without reservation. But I doubt it. Sometime in the last 10 days, lifting should have been banned forever.
Grant loves the limelight, which makes his deathly silence even harder to understand. Smith is a bit of a closet administrator, a back-room boy with all the bells and whistles. Seeing he knows so little about rugby league, that’s probably in his best interests.
But under the circumstances, both Grant and Smith should have made a move of substance.
They were quick with banning the shoulder charge, which in comparison to lifting is angelic. A third defender coming in late around the legs is now penalised – again nothing, compared to the lift.
I challenge any rugby league or sports lover to give me one sane reason, in fact any reason at all, why lifting should not be banned. The platform is yours.
Gonads At Large
Guest
If they were blanks you wouldn't be firing back. Left you in my wake a couple of days ago...
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
That's your best shot? Firing blanks champ.A laugh a minute.
Gonads At Large
Guest
Stupid is a recurring theme for you. Is it something you enjoy? A hobby perhaps? Practice has you near perfect at it...
Gonads At Large
Guest
Stupid is a recurring theme for you. Is it something you enjoy? A hobby perhaps? Practice has you near perfect at it...
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Perhaps you just learn how to write,as a starting point.
Gonads At Large
Guest
Perhaps it's time that you think before you write. You have obviously run out of brain cells.
Gonads At Large
Guest
With that post you consummated a life-long union with stupidity. You haven't a clue.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Maybe its time for another name change Gonads At Large.Must be running out of aliases. Try P Rothfield.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Champ have a look at crowds in other codes,they are down also.No one brings that up. What on earth are you smoking I am applauding no one.I am responding to your blind statement (written word for word , spoken and authorised by the D.T) about Grant should somehow be doing the work of the CEO and his underlings.Show complete lack of knowledge as to what a Chairman is supposed to do. I have plainly and unequivocally spelt it out both Smith and Greenberg ,have made public comments on the issue with offers to help.The fact you still don't get it,suggests I am debating with someone who believes everything the Telegraph throws out>good luck. Your last para (if I can call it that) shows exactly how you have been hoodwinked by that media outlet.
Gonads At Large
Guest
At least we can all agree on this: while Crosscoder understands what he is rambling on about, nobody else in the universe does!
Gonads At Large
Guest
The crowds are down over the season, down nearly 50,000 in this round alone, TV ratings down, rubbish refereeing, terrible injuries from foul tackles with all the confusion surrounding it...and you are applauding the silence and incompetence from the men who spend more time and money in private jets, limos, and 5-star hotels than they do actually helping game. Incompetent, greedy men stay powerful because of fawning, ignorant sycophants.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I tell you exactly what I don't agree with ,the rubbish that is printed in the Daily Telegraph.For anyone to continue to quote or believe ,some of their hearsay,guesswork,inuendo and just plain errors,are flat earth followers. The CEO is the face and manager of the game,as structurally decided by the Board.It is not the Chairman's function to get involved with day to day issues be they of a minor or serious nature. Infatuation with powerful men LOL,if they are not as I suggested involved with day to day running,there is zero infatuation. I have been following this game for 4 decades including 6 years involved with ru at school.I propose I have a fair idea as to the history and makeup of rugby league.Thanks for the lecture. What a chairman ,CEO or the club cleaner happens to drive ,has zero to do with the daily running of a sporting organisation.Unless of course you are studying a Masters degree in Pedantics,which appears to be the course for D.T journos.
Gonads At Large
Guest
You probably agree with Smith's idiotic pronouncement that Queensland is the centre of rugby league. Grant is the leader of our game and its his job to take control. You think he's some sort of ceremonial figurehead like the governor general who is only there to get drunk at the races and make a fool out of himself. You need to get over your infatuation with powerful men, Crosscoder, and learn to see the forest for the trees. And by the way: limos and private jets isn't what rugby league is supposed to be about.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
One could argue johnb747b,the risk situation at times is not just a rl issue. Might I suggest you would also have to agree in the other code ,there are indeed inherent risks in rolling mauls and collapsed scrums (despite the depowering rule change) ,where weight is still the factor.I have had the displeasure of being at the bottom of a maul(no protection) that dropped over the try line at high school,and was the recipient of a busted honk.Who knows how else it could have ended.I still have breathing issues at night.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
What else am supposed to do.Get him to personally visit .What else is Smith supposed to have said at this stage?.He has offered full support in whatever way needed.At this early stage no one knows the real impact and result. Grant is like any Chairman like Fitzpatrick in the AFL and the others in union and the A League,they leave the running of the code to the CEOs and those under him. If Gallop had been around there would still be a lot of umming and aghing. Private jets WTH,limos the guy runs a multi million dollar private company.Yeah let him run around in a goggo. Have a strong cup of coffee and don't let your dislike of the new admin,cloud your views.
johnb747b
Guest
Caring for a quaddie is 24/7 for as long as it takes. Think about it! Your time is not your own. Your personal lifestyle options are severely limited. All because of a coaching manual that demanded gang tackling. Fair enough, the media have concentrated on the injuries to the victim. But go beyond that to the burden put upon the victim's carers, family or others. They will carry the burden long beyond memory of this particular incident. In my playing days 1 on 1 tackling seemed to do the job. There were few offloads. Ok, so the play the balls were swifter but that was coached for. Bloody hell, if Raper tackled you, he didn't require assistance!
johnb747b
Guest
I played rugby league from age 11 to the end of high school, before I took up rugby at uni. I loved every minute of it under the existing coaching manual. Categorically, I would NOT have played the game had gang tackling then been the norm. Blind Freddy can see the risks inherent in gang hits. Sooner or later, a gang hit is going to go wrong. It has to. Except the administrators, it seems.
johnb747b
Guest
We now have the evidence of one such incident arising from gang tackling, as per the present coaching manual. My wife worked at senior level in the field of disabilities for over 20 years. McKinnon will be a problem not only for himself but for his carers. The rules of league require immediate amendment lest this happens again, as gang tackling must surely assure it will. The answer lies in coaching techniques for tackling. The NFL needs to take the initiative. Amend the rules, bring in all the coaches, read the riot act. Coaches will coach to win under the circumstances. The circumstances need to change.
Bigjohn
Guest
Good point , there is a difference between an accident and an incident., and for each incident, intentional or not, there are consequences.
Bigjohn
Guest
Rick, I do not believe that McLean apologised at all. His comment on Facebook simply stated that he wished McKinnon well in his recovery. The Storm legal staff would have stopped any apology anyway, as it would have indicated guilt , prior to the NRL hearing.