As I always do, I spent my Saturday ignoring my loved ones as I casually flicked through The Roar‘s classifieds section. What I discovered in the obituaries was something that was as shocking as it was unsurprising.
Check it out for yourself, and let’s make a date to talk it over at the wake. Or in the comments section below, whatever suits.
IN LOVING MEMORY
RIP: The Chargedown. 1908-2015.
Rugby league’s Chargedown tragically died on April 3, 2015 at the age of 107. It was found dead under a blanket of bile and bottles in Homebush after a long and arduous battle for relevance against the all-conquering movement for kicker welfare.
The Chargedown is survived by a family of fellow safeguarders in The Smother, The Wall, The Block and Steve Price, and will be preceded in death by a swarm of halfbacks in dinner suits and the eventual death of the game due to chronic softness.
The Chargedown came to prominence in the first set of six ever played in rugby league, spawned from necessity when it was realised that the scheming of silky playmakers should be nullified at all costs, most notably when it came to kicking.
While largely considered an unfashionable one-percenter of the game that was rarely celebrated, it experienced major spikes of popularity in the four-point field goal era, the early 40/20 years and the Falcon craze.
However, as the game gradually shifted away from its hardcore roots with every horrific hyper-extension, reconstruction and amputation, The Chargedown began an exhausting fight for survival that would eventually be its downfall.
Beset by a pile of contradictory game laws and OH&S regulations, The Chargedown’s final years of existence were spent in a frustrated state of flux as it fought an internal battle between defensive instinct and duty to care.
This was exacerbated by an increase in cunning and cheek from the game’s leading ballplayers, plus the horrid duress inflicted from unreasonable demands by coaching dictators to limit anything from the boot at all costs.
After these years of confusion and struggle, The Chargedown met its ultimate demise on Friday afternoon when James Graham desperately lunged at Adam Reynolds as he attempted a match-winning field goal in the Good Friday clash between Souths and Canterbury.
While it was universally accepted that Graham made a genuine attempt to block the kick with no intention to harm, he still ended up skewing the Reynolds hinge, and at this point footy fundamentals fatefully clashed with modern ethics and the universe lost its collective mind.
With the haywire that ensued across newspapers and talkback, it had become blatantly obvious that absolutely nobody knew what tha f*ck constituted a fair block of a kick attempt anymore, whether accidental or incidental was relevant, and whether halfbacks were now allowed to basically do whatever they wanted inside the cushy cocoon of the law.
Coupled with the various minefields associated with Charging Down such as its split-second nature, the Russian Roulette of the grading system and an in-game adjudication system completely bereft of confidence, it was considered too risky a tactic to be continued with and was subsequently pulled from the playbook forever, never to be seen again.
Fittingly, with its final act before passing, nobody was sure whether The Chargedown had played at the ball or if the tackle count should be restarted, so the coroner went to the video ref for confirmation before noting the necessary details on the toe-tag.
A funeral is scheduled as part of a Friday night double-header alongside the cremation of toughness.
Mat
Guest
Tackling a Kicker When affecting a tackle on a kicker, the defender must make a genuine attempt to tackle which is not: 1. Late 2. High or 3. Dangerous. http://www.nrl.com/portals/nrl/RadEditor/Documents/2014NRLLawsandInterpretation.pdf
Ginger Meggs
Guest
Jeez, accidents can happen. And the last time the old ear chewing (accidental of course) Captain Bloodnut let his head go was a year (or five games) ago when he accidentally put it into the faces of Sam Burgess and Dave Tyrell in the grand final, and knocked them rotten. So Reynolds was lucky that he only got it accidentally on his leg. I admit that his intimidation of the referee was a bit over the top though and he should be made to wear a padded Hannibal Lecter mask for the rest of the season, in case he goes just a bit more rabid and actually sinks the fangs in again...he seemed on the verge last Friday
Dav
Guest
Hello, that is purely in relation to obstructing the kicker, the kicker should not be obstructed as in impeded or tackled once kicking the ball, this is to protect the kicker so he can run to the kicked ball and put everyone onside. The overriding rule is that at no time should the legs be attacked of a kicker. It is not the game that has the problem, it is the stupidity of observers of the game on Roar.
Footyfan
Guest
What did he have to gain by biting??? He is a grub and will be ruled out like Morley and Craig smith we don't need these types in the game, more players like lafi, Lyon , smith, JT, good people 1st and good players 2nd
Zero Gain
Guest
There are heaps of charge downs in rugby union without any penalty or contact and in union you would be red carded for what Graham did. If you shot a gun at one end of a busy shopping mall to kill a stray cat at the other and in the process shoot a person, you are liable in criminal law despite the fact that you claim that you did not mean to hurt anyone.
Justthetip
Guest
I hate the bunnies but the bulldogs are the filthiest team and graham will continue to take great players out of the game with 'accidental' incidents. How can fans feel good about supporting them. Spin it however you want but the team plays a cheap brand of football that could only appease fans who don't want to the best team come out on top. Their happy if their big boring grubs and useless halves niggle, cork, bite, head butt etc their way through a game. Anyone with an ounce of integrity wouldn't be able to support cheap football that some less talented players use to garner an advantage. The Morris brothers are amongst the greatest ambassadors in the NRL but even they don't outweigh the filthy spirit the bulldogs embody. The dogs of war aren't fighting an honourable battle anymore!
Max
Guest
Dane at the Roar has to be at least 13+ on the board . Love the way you stiffen the attack.
Max
Guest
Muzz, Always a pleasure to read your lucid reasonings. I fear Canterbury will be crucified for anything and everything. Having PC problems to scroll and read Roar postings. Now on 3rd expert.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Hi EagleJ Point taken. Putting it another way, I would rather watch a game that has both skillful halfbacks and tough hard running forwards. But if I had to choose, I would rather the halfbacks' ability to kick remain unencumbered and have the forwards' ability to smash them cut back, then visa versa.
Johnk
Guest
In my opinion Graham was not trying to injure Reynolds, he just did a poor attempt to chargedown. Honestly there was about 1 minute and a half left, what use would it be to take him out of the game at that time? The penalty was justified (even if accidental) and should have been given, quite unfortunate for the Dogs but their retaliation was way out of line.
Mat
Guest
It's amazing how everyone seems to forget that not 5 minutes prior Trent Hodkinson was able to kick a drop goal without anyone barreling into his legs. Graham ballsed it up, it was careless, and should be suitably punished just the same as any careless high shot.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I'm really amazed at so many comments digressing from the only two things that matter in this case. 1. Was a player attempting a kick? 2. Did a defender make contact with the legs? If the answer is yes to the above two then we know what the consequences are. The player's 'intent' is irrelevant completely. It's comments regarding intent that really pisses me off. I for one am still spewing we lost the shoulder charge. We as fans got really really lucky when they brought in the charge down rule about contact with the legs. They could have done the stupid thing and banned it all together like they did the shoulder charge. Inglis never 'intended' to hit the player like he did that caused the fallout. What should have happened then was double the loading points of a head high tackle that involves a shoulder charge. They got the charge down rule change right last time and this incident is EXACTLY why they did it. Accident or not JG needs a very big mid season break for this to set another example. Only will long suspensions keep this from reoccurring regularly. AKA lifting tackles.
Richie
Guest
Sure I do Sheek . You think controlling stuff isn't the way to go . UFC is popular people have a blood lust etc. But I think that bagging refs is a cop out from players and coaches. In Rugby the refs don't take the rubbish that NRL refs cop. Easy fixed sin bin players who swear get aggressive and step out of line like Graham and Klemeer ,but do it for all teams . Tell the captains the refs won't cop it from the players or captains anymore and it will be immediate 10 metres followed by sin bin or send off. The way the refs are treated is out of hand. The pressure being let out because of the control is ridiculous and a direct result of coaches like Dessie getting cranky that he can't blame the refs anymore on the media ,too bad Des suck it up .And then of course James Graham carrying on like a pork chop when the correct decision was actually made by refs which then whipped the crowd into a frenzy ,very irresponsible.Graham was also screaming at the 8 point try in the first half after Morris sliced Isaac Luke with a boot to the face and Kasiano knocked him out with his knee. So really what are the Bulldogs or their supporters complaining about ,and what right did they have to carry on the way they did ,or for that matter Graham have to complain and be so aggresive all match to the refs If you think sanitising the NRL is stopping head high tackles,shoulder charges and players diving at players legs and putting them out of action for months (luckily not snapping his leg) then maybe you should just watch UFC because people are not going to want their kids to play a game where they can be taken out like that.those changes aren't sanitsing league rather protecting players against terrible injuries and concussions that cause permanent damage and destroy the players lives . The game is the toughest it's ever been. There are lots of things in this world flourishing ,doesn't mean they're good for society or humanity UFC is probably one of them .
Chris Love
Guest
Who cares what his intentions were? Did he make contact with a kickers legs? Did player get seriously injured? Bang take two months ya grub.
Chris Love
Guest
I am pretty sure actually 100% certain that section relates to a late hit. JG may be forgiven for being late under that law but what is absolutely without question is his contact with Reynolds legs. It's been quite clear for a long time now, that the onus is on the defender to ensure he charges down or attempts a tackle in such a way that no contact is made with the kickers legs. The poor Melbourne player (you'll never hear me say that again) that effected the tackle on McKinnon didn't do so intentionally but was reckless in lifting the player. It's the same here. JG should serve many weeks out for recklessly making contact with the legs and causing injury.
Doggies
Guest
Not only is it clear that Graham was going for the ball, what does he have to gain by taking Reynolds legs out? In that split second you honestly think this was his thought process "If I stop this field goal I can win the game for my team but if I injure Reynolds instead he won't play against other clubs. I think him not playing against other clubs is better, I'll wait for him to kick it(even if he gets it and we lose) and then I'll take his legs out" He had 1 thing on his mind "Stop field goal... win game" You're just making yourself look like you've never watched Rugby League before.
Cecil
Guest
Plenty of people charge the ball down or attempt too without doing damage to the kickers leg. Penalty was deserved and Graham should be on the sideline for a long time. I'm a Graham fan and don't supprt the Rabbitohs.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
There are plenty of ways to charge down a kick other than diving at the kicker's legs so no way is the charge down gone.
Noel
Guest
SOME , NO ALL OF YOU GUYS MUST HAVE COME DOWN IN THE LAST SHOWER . The practise of diving at the legs of an opponent when effecting a charge down has been outlawed for years . Stevr Price was an expert at it , however , in the intrest of player safety the practice was outlawed when a player was injured in an origin game . How about a thought for Reynald who is likely to spend five months on the sideline . I have no doubt that Graham had no knowledge of the ruling having only recently come from England . However the suspension for the charge down will likely be small compared to the one for DISSENT TOWARD THE REFEREE .
G
Guest
You're kidding yourself If you think it doesn't happen- watch JWH he always tackles around the head, you see many purposeful sneaky head highs all the time.