South Sydney’s wrestling tactics are back under scrutiny after three more of their players were charged by the NRL match review committee.
With prop George Burgess only halfway through his two-match suspension for a chicken wing tackle last week, Ben Te’o, Chris McQueen and Kirisome Auva’a were all slugged with dangerous contact charges on Friday.
The trio were sanctioned following the Rabbitohs’ impressive 42-16 win over Brisbane on Thursday night that consolidated their premiership favourites tag.
Te’o is potentially facing five games on the sidelines if he opts to contest a grade two charge for an apparent chicken wing tackle on Broncos’ forward Sam Thaiday.
The Queensland Origin star will miss a minimum of four games if he pleads guilty due to the carryover points picked up from two suspensions he’s already served this season, meaning he won’t play again until week one of the finals.
Back-rower McQueen and outside back Auva’a can both escape bans with early guilty pleas to grade one charges of unnecessary pressure to the neck or head (crusher tackles).
Both incidents happened within a minute of each other early in the second half at ANZ Stadium with McQueen’s challenge on Josh McGuire and Auva’s on Matt Gillett deemed to be suspect by the match officials.
Souths officials are privately concerned they’re being by targeted, with hooker Issac Luke also taking an early guilty plea this week for his role in the incident with Burgess.
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who once employed Souths mentor Michael Maguire as his assistant, has made a similar claims in the past and vehemently denied coaching his players to use illegal methods.
Maguire was also criticised by Super League coaching rivals when in charge of Wigan for using wrestling tactics.
Former referees boss Bill Harrigan said he did not believe Rabbitohs players were being singled out by officials, and he believed the Te’o incident was unfortunate rather than deliberate.
“The chicken wing was a definite penalty, it was a bad one,” Harrigan told AAP.
“Refs don’t go out and look for blokes who go out and commit acts of foul play. They do do their homework and look out for players’ and teams’ idiosyncrasies.
“Chicken wings and crusher tackles have largely been eradicated from the game because referees have become more vigilant and the NRL have cracked down.
“But there’s always going to be someone who gets themselves in a position and they forget.
“Te’o was probably trying to roll Thaiday on his back and just the way he had hold of him… he could have done some harm, but at the time that wouldn’t have come into his mind as he was just focused on making the tackle.”
Brendan
Guest
Alex why dont you run some numbers on the Roosters penalty count and tell me how good that is. Are they a "grubby" side as a result?
Alex
Guest
5 players in two games for chicken wings and crushers is an anomaly? Nonsense. Have a look at the roadkills for this season for Souths. Adam Reynolds - chicken wing Lote Tuqiri - crusher tackle George Burgess - chicken wing George Burgess - tripping George Burgess - careless high tackle Issac Luke - chicken wing Chris McQueen - crusher tackle Kirisome Auva'a - crusher tackle Ben Te'o - chicken wing Ben Te'o - dangerous throw Ben Te'o - tripping Ben Te'o - careless high tackle Bryson Goodwin - careless high tackle Last season Souths had Jeff Lima charged with the death roll tackle that targeted Anthony Watmough's damaged leg. When Lima played for Maguire at Wigan in 2011, he was charged with two chicken wings in the one game. The next game back from suspension, he was charged with attacking the knee joint in another dangerous tackle. Also last season, Sam Burgess was charged with a crusher tackle and also a squirrel grip. The season before, Sam was charged with attacking a knee joint. 7 players from the starting 13 have been charged with crusher or chicken wings this season. More than half. Some anomaly!!!
Broncos
Guest
Alex... Of the five players charged, three were last round. That is not a trend, it is an anomaly. People keep bringing up the Rabbits tactics in tackles and what not, but being from Red Hill and watching that game myself it is evident that the Rabbits have a superior ability to control the ruck which is currently done legally. I think you should get off bashing the coach who is obviously is obviously doing his job right and focus on the real issue in that game which was the Broncos not executing at the right time. Was Tuquri's try caused by a chicken wing or crusher. No, it was caused by Vidot dropping the ball. Was Inglis holding up Barba over the line caused by an illegal tackle No. Our boys couldn't mix it with Souths on more than one level. Every club has that "grub" Canterbury have Josh Reynolds, Easts have Hargreaves, even we have Thaiday (god love him). My point is that no coach wouldn't care for the safety of the game's players, but a smart coach will strategize to exploit a weakness in defense to win a game. Boy, I really hope some one yelled Roadkill Achieved when your team was oh so tragically killed by the Super League.
Alex
Guest
Souths force players on to their backs with illegal, cowardly, thuggish grappling holds. They have 5 players from their starting team over the last two games on crusher and chicken wing charges. The illegal holds target pre-existing conditions of opposing star players - for example, Matai and Watmough - to deliberately injure them further. In Maguire's own words: "ROADKILL ACHIEVED".
Mitchoh
Guest
Souths are effective at getting ball runners on to their backs. It's as simple as that. Every team tries to do it but souths are the best.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
I agree, no place in the game for wrestling coaches. If you cannot win man on man & good ol footballing skills then you shouldn't be playing.
Benedict Arnold
Guest
I think souths can now take the mantle for the best wrestlers in the game, followed closely by the dogs. I get frustrated by how much they get away with in the ruck.
Alex deLarge
Guest
With Roadkill Maguire, tackles like chicken wings and crushers ARE designed to injure. That is the aim. Maguire actually celebrates the injuries by posting photographs of injured opposition players on dressing room walls with the caption "ROADKILL ACHIEVED". Last year at Souths, the rallying cry in games was "ROADKILL". The aim of chicken wing tackles is to injure the shoulder and arm. That's why the injured and bandaged arm of Steve Matai, Manly's best player this year, was targeted with a chicken wing by George Burgess last week. Matai was forced off the field injured. ROADKILL ACHIEVED. It was the same last season when Jeff Lima targeted the already injured knee of Anthony Watmough with the disgusting and cowardly death roll tackle. Once again, ROADKILL ACHIEVED. That's why Maguire celebrates ACHIEVING injuries by posting enlarged photos on them on dressing room walls. It is cowardly and repulsive. Sadly, the NRL hasn't the guts to stop the Maguire roadkills. Eventually, there'll be a death of a wheelchair injury.
Vivalasvegan
Guest
I dislike Teo. He is a grubby player. But, every team plays the same way. The wrestling is not designed to injure but to move a player on to their back using levers. I don't like it. It is a result of how the game has developed. Speed in the play the ball is essential. Personally, I would love to see the return of the legs tackle... Proper rugby league. For that to happen we need to begin by changing the interchange rules. Having a team of enormous body builders running on for 20 minute stints has led to the gang tackle and the wrestling
KB
Guest
I'm told that Mazza Fenech is the wrestling coach there, apparently he's a student of Spiros Arion.
Mitch
Guest
I think you might be confused. Aggressive does not equate to grubbiness.
Zedman
Guest
Getting back to you,refer to my previous post.
Alex deLarge
Guest
The Guardian newspaper, 22 April 2011, in an article titled 'Wigan Silent As Rival Coaches Voice Concerns Over Tactics & Tactics', debated Roadkill Maguire's strategy as coach: John Kear, the 'grand old man of British coaches': "It's a hard game and one that I've played. You don't want people attacking your joints just to hurt you." Mick Potter, Bradford coach: "It comes down to ethics. If you are going to potentially injure people doing it, then it's not the way to go." Nathan Brown, Huddersfield coach: "They've got the stupid wrestling tactics, the chicken wings and all those cowardly things when they've got you on the ground with your back turned."
paul
Guest
Maguire being under bellamy is a direct correlation re grubby wrestling tactics. Its good that nrl little darlings are coming under scrutiny
MAX
Guest
Thank you for that Alex. Murdoch seems to get away with anything and everything. The ATO even financed (in part at least) the cost of his divorce. Cheers MAX
Alex deLarge
Guest
Marco 'The Giant' Villeli, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu back belt, was described in the Daily Telegraph last year as "undoubtedly one of the world's most dangerous men". He was brought to the club when Roadkill Maguire arrived at Souths three years ago. He gives grappling training to the players for three hours a week. Villeli told the Telegraph that he mostly works with Sam and George Burgess, and Ben Te'o. No coincidence that those three are the biggest users at Souths of the cowardly joint attacking wrestling holds. Crushers and cannonballs and chicken wing tackles are not what rugby league is meant to be. Max, Super League killed my team. I am a lover of rugby league in general and that's why I hate the cowardly stuff.
MAX
Guest
Noticed. Guru Ian McCullough has been responsible for some interesting and incisive pieces. Alex , the gravity of your clarity in a most enlightening post should be mandatory reading for all NRL fans. The cowardice associated with and foul play itself is a cancer on our game. The respect I had for Bellamy and Maguire has evaporated forever. I am a Bulldog member. Do you support any team?
Worlds Biggest
Guest
T'eo is such a good player, he doesn't need this rubbish in his game. S Burgess has cut it out and is in career best form. Madge needs to reign in the grubby plays.
Alex deLarge
Guest
Yep, takes a lot of discipline to have 5 players charged in 2 games for chicken wings and crusher tackles. Great coaching. And remind me: what has Roadkill Maguire won in the NRL as yet?
Jacksyd
Guest
There's a reason Souths are the least penalised team in the comp. Its called discipline which comes from having the best coach in the comp.