Amid growing calls for a crackdown on late hits, NRL referees boss Tony Archer has vowed to be vigilant in protecting playmakers.
But Archer believes whistleblowers have been consistent in policing late hits this season despite North Queensland half Johnathan Thurston’s recent plea for more protection.
Brisbane halfback Ben Hunt on Tuesday joined the chorus for a crackdown, saying the league had to “clean up” late hits.
However, Archer revealed it was already a high priority.
“Understand this, we have been very vigilant in this area,” he said on the NRL website.
“It is an area that we need to continue to be vigilant on and we will be.”
Hunt said halves accepted that they would cop some tough treatment when they took the ball to the defensive line but felt late hits needed to be addressed.
“Us halves get taught to play right near the line and, when you do that, you have to accept that you are going to get hit a bit,” he said.
“But it’s those ones – where you pass the ball a bit early or a player comes in and cleans you up late – is something they really have to clean up, I believe.”
North Queensland coach Paul Green issued a “please explain” to the NRL after his Test playmaker Thurston complained publicly about treatment he copped after kicks in the Cowboys’ loss last week to South Sydney.
And Gold Coast coach Neil Henry backed Green’s call for more protection for playmakers after his halfback Aidan Sezer suffered a shoulder injury on Sunday following a hit by Canterbury giant Sam Kasiano.
Hunt’s Broncos teammate Corey Parker did not back Brad Fittler’s call that the likes of Thurston were fair game when they took the ball to the line but did believe there was a place for pressuring playmakers.
“If you are attacking the kicker’s legs while he is kicking, that’s a no-go,” Parker told Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast.
“But if you are hitting him as he is kicking, and if it’s above the hips … I am okay with that.
“You want to be able to put pressure on kickers.
“If he (Thurston) sees a big Tom or George Burgess coming at you … you are probably not going to kick it where you want to – you are going to second guess.”
Archer tried to clear up what constituted late contact on a kicker.
“In relation to contact on a kicker, the defender has to make a genuine attempt to tackle,” he said.
“The tackle can’t be late, high or dangerous.
“The referees have penalised this consistently throughout the season and, for the most serious, players have been suspended for that sort of contact on kickers.”
up in the north
Guest
"Late hits rule change mid season" coming to a store near you. Archer is full of it. If JT or Sezer for that matter weren't placed in either of his definitions of dangerous, late or high then I must be in Disneyland. Crikey doesn't he watch any games. Look I have said before that when JT kicks from the line he is fair game in a legal sense. But I take issue with when he is standing deep and an attacker has to sprint at him to create pressure, but arrives waaay toooo laaaate but follows through with the tackle anyway even though the ball has already travelled downfield. They aren't even trying to block the ball either, they take him out because they get away with it.
catcat
Roar Rookie
Now that we are all enjoying "Shoulder Charge rules confusion"- we can look forward to "Late Hits rules confusion" coming to the NRL in 2016!!! *sarcasm*
Bulldog
Guest
The NRL are going to come unstuck on this one. Eventually someone is going to get seriously hurt and then the NRL will go into panic mode and we will get another reactionary over the top change of rules interpretation like the recent shoulder charge issues. If they just got on the front foot with these sort of issues the NRL would save themselves some grief. There is no doubt that coaches are instructing their big guys to hit playmakers late. On the weekend JT got hit in the air a number of times after kicking the ball and this should be stamped out immediately. People will argue that it is fair because he is taking the ball deep into the line. Presumably this argument is based on the assumption that when he is going to the line he can change tactics (for example dummy and run etc) instead of kicking and gain some sort of advantage if he is not tackled, however this argument is flawed because if the player is in the air it is impossible for them to do anything other than kick the ball (unless he is superman). So similar to a fullback fielding a high ball if a player is in the air they should be protected and not be allowed to be tackled. The game will the poorer if they do not protect the small playmakers who create the excitement and skill in the game and all we are left with are 13 big boof heads bashing into the line tackle after tackle. The NFL protect their playmakers (quarterbacks) because they are smart enough to know that the quarterback / playmakers are the players that bring people through the gates. .
Samtwocan
Guest
Here we go .....Mr Smith will be tweeting away rule changes on the eve of the finals and there will be the inevitable knee jerk reaction. Maybe the boys at the judiciary are on a pay per case contract so its in their interest to have a full waiting room.