After NRL headlines were dominated by yet another drug scandal in the past few weeks, the opening of the 2015 season should have provided some respite – an opportunity to promote everything brilliant about this great game.
For three nights we were reminded why we love it. Souths showed why they’re the greatest team in the code, the Roosters flexed their muscles and the Tigers took home a thriller.
Then on Sunday afternoon, rugby league’s hard work came undone with its celebration of the Canberra Raider’s Jack Wighton blindly throwing punches at Sosaia Feki with complete disregard for their potentially tragic consequences.
Then, just to compound the matter, this same bloke was awarded man of the match. Now what kind of a message does that send?
Granted it isn’t NRL HQ glorifying this behaviour but rather the commentators and reporters. However, the opinion of these experts inform the masses and hearing Andrew Voss gleefully screaming as the melee unfolded was just downright embarrassing. Reactions like this, even if they are reflex and unintentional, dominate rugby league and imply that violence like this is not only tolerable but should be celebrated.
Well, I have news for you: it’s not. Society has made it abundantly clear where it stands on coward punches and rugby league needs to catch up.
Throwing a punch at someone who is unprepared in any circumstance is unacceptable, especially one thrown at the head. It is cowardly, stupid and incredibly dangerous. One punch can change someone’s life completely, causing brain damage and even death.
In 2013, the NRL introduced a one punch policy that sees any player throwing a punch sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes and potentially facing the judiciary. The rule was introduced to prevent punches and coward punches from occurring, yet players and coaches clearly aren’t heeding the rule.
Des Hasler, a premiership winning coach still working in the NRL today, had this pearler to say last season on Sky Sports Radio when discussing the rule.
“I think they have got to really look at the one punch… sometimes a punch can just look like a push or a shove… they really, really need to refine that, they really need to be sure that it is a punch.”
It was a view shared by many rugby league circles and it is vitriol like this that displays the ignorance permeating the code. Punches shouldn’t be in the sport at all, whether they look like a punch, a shove or a turtle riding a dog. You can’t just punch someone in the street so why should rugby league be any different?
I agree with Hasler that the rule should be refined but only because it clearly isn’t sending a strong enough message to breakthrough the outdated culture of the code. It needs to be amended so that any punch thrown results in an automatic send off, excluding the player from the remainder of the game, and an automatic match ban (at least five, more if it causes serious injury).
This needs to be enforced at all levels of the game, clearly showcasing that violence like this does not belong in the game, leading to its eradication.
You have an opportunity here, David Smith, to send a definitive message to current and future players that actions like this won’t be tolerated by the sport and the wider nation the sport represents.
Please, act responsibly, educate this great game and rid yourself of these cowardly acts. If you don’t then it’s only a matter of time until a life is changed for the worse forever.
oldtimer
Guest
Spot on dj violent sports boxing, etc still draw massive TV audiences, I think a lot of the foul play rot is generated by how their player went in the brawl.
tim
Guest
Were Vickery or Hall sent off? No. Did the rules allow for them to be sent off? No. Have the rules been changed to allow for players to be sent off in such circumstances? No. Are the AFL or its propagandists able to take the moral high ground on this issue? No. And don't get me started on shirtfronts!
The Barry
Roar Guru
I've probably missed the boat on this 'debate'. I loved footy when there were blues. I still jump up and shadow box like Laurie Nicholls when one starts now. I definitely subscribe to the old 'nothin' wrong with two blokes standing toe to toe'. When you watch fights in a footy game, a very small % of punches actually land and very rarely does anyone get hurt. BUT This issue is bigger than what I like or want to see. The NRL focus has to be about growing the game and if two blokes punching on is alienating a significant number of people from following the game then the NRL is right to ban it. But let's not go overboard because a winger and a fullback threw a couple of poorly executed windmills. That's the first fight I can recall in a long time and it was dealt with according to the rules. That's a great result. Maybe if there's a spate of these blues the NRL may need to think about a mandatory 1 week ban but at the moment anyone whinging about what we saw on Sunday has an axe to grind.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Danny Williams absolutely was one. He hit O'Neill in the back of the head. The bloke that belted Hohaia after he was knocked out (Flowers?) wasn't far behind.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Correcting my typos, telling me all I need to do is a quick google search... You really pulled out all the stops to be as belittling as possible, especially with your Daily Telegraph 'facts' to back yourself up. So the average NRL crowd has dropped by 800 over the last 2 years. Not so much a 'steady' decline as a 'slight decline.' Funny I didn't see any mention of record ratings and crowds for finals and Origins. Nor any mention of streaming services. Funny that. I'm going to say this one last time: Many have suggested that the NHL has fighting and the crowds love it and, therefore, if NRL had fights, crowds would love it too. Not sound at all. You can twist my words or change the subject all you want but it won't make the argument any better.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Or punched it
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Danny Williams came close to one
nerval
Guest
There's not a day goes by in English football without some "atrocity" or another. And yet it continues to grow in popularity all over the world. So, Kaks, it's clearly not the sport that's the common factor. Maybe it's the status of the sport in any given country that's more telling?
steve b
Roar Guru
You know had to have a long think but i dont think i have ever seen a coward punch ( as they call it these days ) ever thrown in league seen plenty thrown threw plenty and coped plenty but never when i wasnt suspecting it to happen.I think its more the sneaky dog shot the elbow on the ground or the fingers in the eyes thats made look accidental they should be looking harder at this as for the occasional bust up thats rugby league leave it to judy .But the author is abit over the top for mine .Dinosaur maybe .
Kaks
Roar Guru
I never said i dont like NRL and i never said the A-league had the best attendance, i just stated the fact that the NRL is steadily in decline. Offsider, i've clearly written a few times that i dont hate NRL. My interest in it is diminishing however for reasons that i have already stated. Take it as you wish
RT
Guest
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.
The Link
Guest
Punching and other violant acts in Rugby League have decreased significantly in recent years, as they have in most sports. Suggesting it is endemic to the game is being disingenuous at the least.
AR
Guest
So, in order to keep the game "tough", you need players punching each other in the face. Good luck with that.
offsider
Guest
Kaks , the A league ratings for the A League grand final rematch attracted , a mammoth total of 39k viewers on the weekend. Its very easy to get figures to deride a sport you dont like.
Jeremy
Guest
The NRL has jumped the shark.
Jeremy
Guest
NRL banned punches as it was a bad example and now there are no people throwing punches on our streets. Job well done NRL.
bilbo
Guest
I tried to find some of the football ratings on foxtel but it stops at the 20 top rating shows for the day
Fight fair.
Guest
I am really upset that you attend Union matches and not leauge matches. Whatever can we do to change your mind?
Fight fair.
Guest
Why do we need it to be the biggest sport in the country?
Fight fair.
Guest
Yep cause no soccer player ever took recreational drugs.