Watching two players punching the crap out of each other is a turn-off for me, but this new phenomenon of players slapping other players because they don’t want to risk throwing a punch bothers me as well.
Tim Grant and Keith Galloway clearly wanted to get it on in the game between South Sydney and Wests Tigers on Sunday, but knew they had to try to hold themselves back.
Galloway finally reacted to Grant getting right in his face by slapping him.
It wasn’t what either player would have wanted to do to sort things out, but we’re seeing more of it since throwing a punch is going to get you 10 minutes in the sin bin and potentially prove expensive to your team.
I don’t know the answer.
Sometimes, I wish it could be like the NFL, where you get plenty of huffing and puffing and pushing and shoving, but where it would clearly be madness to start throwing punches at an opposition player.
You risk breaking your own hand on his helmet, so you don’t lose face by not doing something that anyone can see would be stupid. Not so in league, where the level of frustration among many players at not being able to sort out differences the old-fashioned way is clear.
The thing is, after you’ve basically outlawed punching, it would be seen as irresponsible if you went back the other way by relaxing the laws to allow players to start throwing a few to release their frustrations.
Could the fabric of the game change over time? Will the new generation of players coming through be more in tune with the no-punching edict and not be so bothered by it? And would that lead to the fans not missing it so much either?
It’s asking for a lot in such a testosterone-charged game.
Some problems in rugby league would appear easier to solve, yet for some reason they remain just as difficult. I try not to criticise referees unless it’s an extreme case. They’re too easy a target. It’s a fact of life that they’re going to make mistakes – just like players and coaches do.
But the video referee is a whole different story.
Referees have to make decisions in real time. Video referees have the benefit of replays, yet they still get some obvious decisions wrong. I didn’t think there was any doubt Newcastle forward Korbin Sims knocked on when he got a hand to the ball in the lead-up to Dane Gagai’s try against Gold Coast on Sunday night.
But after watching numerous replays the video referee – Gavin Badger, in this case – ruled the ball had gone backwards off Korbin’s hand. If I can’t see properly, I’ve got plenty of mates.
The controversy over some players being cleared to return to the field after wobbling off concussed will continue until the league takes such decisions out of the hands of the clubs and appoints independent medical officers to games.
This is all about perception. Everyone might be doing everything to the letter of the law, but sometimes when you see a player return you can’t help but wonder if the questions they ask them in these concussion tests are too easy.
Why is the playing surface at Brookvale Oval so bad? It’s a question that deserves an answer, but I’ve got a more intriguing one. What is wrong with the North Queensland Cowboys?
They were woeful against Brisbane. The Broncos had done nothing in attack to frighten anybody in the first two rounds. They only beat Cronulla because the Sharks were even worse. But against the Cowboys they racked up 44 points.
The score represented almost a point for every tackle North Queensland missed – 47. Winning is going to have to become a whole lot more important to the Cowboys before they can hope to actually start getting a few.
Ginger Meggs
Guest
Ah! the "leg raise"...sounds like a ballet move, or a dog seeking relief. Try staying upright with one player (Farther) anchoring one leg to the ground and another wrenching the other leg as high as he can go. This manoeuvre serves no purpose apart from attempting to injure the victim, or tip him on his head, as the ball carrier cannot walk forward if one foot is only just off the ground. I have a vivid memory of the career-ending splits dealt out to the champion rugby half-brother's Kenny Catchpole by a couple of All-black enforcers.
ABarbauld
Roar Rookie
Many players may prefer to be allowed to punch. I despise boxing but when there's so much tension I can see why landing a punch would be the way to go. As a woman league is the only sport in which I enjoy the biff.
Ian
Guest
A major part of the problem is that the referees have decided that punching is the only thing that earns a sin binning from a scuffle. Not things like being the 3rd man in and escalating it, or running in from a distance, or anything else. Something else that bugs me this year (and last as well) is the amount of defensive blocking allowed on kick chases. It seems that the chaser just about has to be killed to earn a penalty. Anyone care to tell me when the rules were changed to allow blocking?
Compo
Roar Rookie
Brendan none of the other smaller grounds need upgrading as urgently as Brookie. even Leichhardt Oval the ground is in better nick...not the grandstand of course. Kogarah OKI stadium only recently got fixed up and added to. IF Brookie doest get brought up to standard, maybe we can get Belmore Oval back or even Henson park back in the NRL... just shows how silly your statement is
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
Let 'em throw a couple and get it over with.
Mike from Tari
Guest
I have one bone to pick with the Refs, over the first 3 rounds I have seen the attacking sides players pushing defenders off the tackled player, in the midfield & on the try line & not one Ref has penalised anyone.
Mike from Tari
Guest
You must have crooked eyes
Brendan
Guest
I think unless you upgrade Brookie, Manly might as well not be in the competition. Their fans would never accept going to another stadium for games. But if you upgrade Brookie, then shouldnt you also upgrade Shark Park, Kogarah, Penrith, Campbelltown etc etc Otherwise its not fair on other clubs
DMC
Guest
He didn't do a chicken wing, although he certainly was tempted. Commentators pointed it out, not with humor...
steveng
Roar Rookie
Allot of the passes seen on TV look forward but their not and I'm sure that most of the games that you have watched were on TV. Forward passes have been a controversy in RL since the 6 tackle rule came in and there have been allot of tries scored that were off a forward pass and that is irrespective that we now have 4 referees on the field. On Sunday there were a few decisions that had to go to the video ref irrespective of and that the referees were right on the spot and should have made a decision and not waisted time with the video ref, but that is how the game is going and soon it will end up like the America NFL . The slapping incident was an unbelievable decision by the ref as he awarded a penalty first and then the slapping happened and he just gave both players a slap on the wrist and the game went on. If we are fair dinkum about stamping out these sorts of aggressive and/or intimidating tactics of eg punching, slapping and the mostly overlooked thing is when a second or third player just falls on top of the tackled player and nothing is done about it when that extra player really causes an injury. These infringements should be ruled as equal and the penalty that was awarded to the Wests/Tigers should have been reversed by the referee and given to Souths. The lifting was not really a dangerous tackle as Galloway did not land on his head or anywhere near that, he was just put down onto his back and his legs lifted above horizontal when his back and head were on the ground and Grant coming on top of him but he didn't do it late.
Slim
Guest
Did I read slapping?? In my day Real men would pinch, scratch and bite, not like these nancyboys of today, Please!
Dav
Guest
Where O'Neil is head slammed and no penalty, yep, refereeing consistency at it's best, do I get a conspiracy theory yo! from anyone? lol
Epiquin
Roar Guru
What is it about MNF that brings out the sloppiest in any team?
Epiquin
Roar Guru
I've actually noticed it across the board from all hookers. So many forwards seemingly timing their runs poorly and being too flat to receive the pass.
planko
Guest
Brookvale Oval should be renamed so people understand the main problem it has too..... JANE TRY OVAL. The land Brookvale oval sits on was owned by Jane Try and was bequeathed to the council with conditions of continued public use. It's a lack of understanding of what this means is what creates massive problems. Let's face it the Council would have sold it by now to the League's club in better times or Max Delmerge in his hay day or now to the Penn's if it could. If the Penn's got it would be fixed and redeveloped in no time. I think that the council should take it back. Surely the council could sell some OTHER land to the Penn's and they would make some money and build a stadium somewhere else. I am a Manly Fan who hates the idea of moving away but that was embarrassing last Friday. This cant continue to happen. Council/State Government/Penns sought this out.
planko
Guest
Greg someone in the NRL needs a slap. Match of the round getting played on a Monday night. Monday night is where a good game goes to die.
planko
Guest
Jamesb it was used 6 out 7 days in the lead up. It is now getting a complete resurface with NEW turf apparently. Manly do not play another home games for 5 weeks.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Slapping someone in the face has to earn someone ten in the bin as well. If the 10 in the bin stops players from punching it will stop them from slapping. I shuddered when I saw two big front rowers standing nose to nose and then one of them slapped other. League will be a laughing stock if this continues.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It's strange how someone as big and as strong as Inglis goes up and over so easily. Does he have a high centre of gravity that makes him easy to tip over in those situations? Is it because he' so strong that he's standing in those situations more than other players? I'm not suggesting that he's taking a dive it's just odd how often it happens. It was still a dangerous tackle from Richards - although there was no driving of Inglis into the ground - and he should get a few weeks.
SpongeBob
Guest
Nothing in it, was hardly even a tackle too just a leg raise