With a fairytale grand final farewell all but secured with 23 minutes on the clock, why would Justin Hodges entertain the thought of spinning Aidan Guerra past the horizontal?
On first view, my immediate thoughts turned to an ugly week of media to-and-fro culminating in Hodges sadly joining the likes of Cameron Smith and Issac Luke on the grand final-snubbed list.
On first inspection it was a no brainer. Over the tipping point, minimum grade-one, prior offence, no judiciary defence, pack your flag and join the Homebush crowd, because they won’t let you on the park.
I was so convinced, I gave it no further consideration until reporters caught up with the retiring Bronco post-match.
A calm and carefree Hodges had me quickly scrambling for the remote with this quip, “I will be fine, it’s one of those things, he jumped in the tackle, I couldn’t do anything about it.”
And he’s right.
One replay was enough for me to switch camps.
So what was Guerra thinking, why would anyone deliberately confront such danger?
The Roosters showed little emotion after the tackle as often occurs in polarising situations like this. Guerra certainly didn’t look like he’d pulled off a penalty-winning heist.
But now it gets messy. Previous incidents will be aired for comparison and the match review committee will sweat under opposing blowtorches from either side of the Tweed.
I suspect in this case, the MRC will take the safety net and issue a grade-one charge leaving the Broncos’ best suits enough room to potentially clear their man.
So did Guerra deliberately jump, was he looking for a quick play-the-ball? Does it matter? It certainly wasn’t a deliberate act.
Did Hodges carelessly lift his Rooster opponent above the horizontal? No, he lifted the ankle of a player with forward momentum who simultaneously surged and tumbled awkwardly.
The timing and physics at play could be argued until the return of leather footballs, but compared to non-penalised incidents of pure intent, the Hodges- Guerra tangle was nothing more than a ‘sorry mate, fair penalty to you guys, play on’.
In the wake of the Alex McKinnon tackle, would the NRL rub Hodges out of the big one? Or will they allow him to take his place in the decider?
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Good stuff. Don't bother about getting smashed, it's never anything personal, it's a great way to learn and no one gets hurt. Take a page out of the Marty Lang book and just cart it up, son :)
Birdy
Guest
Lol, I 'm always tempted to write an article. Time to research my chosen topic would be my downfall and I've seen how people who don't do their research properly get smashed on the roar. It's definately on , one of those things to do list. Maybe straight after Muzz.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Worth an article Birdy, with NZ team selections around the corner. Ahh, forgot -SBW already at the WC...perhaps there's others??
Birdy
Guest
Georgina, In all your posts on this subject you remark on Hodges' reputation as a dirty player. Not many people would disagree but you never mention Luke's reputation . Whether or not either player is guilty or not and most roarers and the media are biased in favour of the rich clubs an interesting point arises, in the hodges tackle, the tackled player guerra , a SOO team mate of hodges , testified that he milked it. With the Luke tackle , SBW , a kiwi team mate of Luke said nothing . There's lots you can read into that over the next few days.
Georgina
Guest
Why did no one feel sorry for isac luke?.....the media hung him .....no support.....the whole Hodges...Bennett.....sympathy vote is a disgrace.......the rich get richer....the game loses more creditibility
Broadly Speaking
Guest
The laws of the land and the rules of Rugby League are black and white and no grey? AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Natural Justice dictates you are given a chance to defend yourself because you are Innocent until PROVEN guilty. Once all the evidence has been presented only then can a proper decision be reached, no matter what people believe is a forgone conclusion. If there is no grey then why do grading, downgrades, appeals and even exoneration exist in judicial processes AFTER a charge is issued???? These are the grey areas that defendants use to challenge their charges to change the expected outcome.. BTW if you really think that 50 shade of "grey" will not be part of any hearing, why bring fairy tales into the conversation if you believe judges, juries or judiciaries consider that stuff????. That kind of thinking paints the whole shebang in many more shades and layers of grey that you say doesn't exist........
Jason Hosken
Guest
Cam Smith deliberately twisted the neck of Sam Thaiday. This incident is no where that league of hideous intent.
Compo
Roar Rookie
ps you can't say he DESERVES a Grand Final...i can think of 10 retired players that deserved a grand final ahead of Justin Hodges.......
Compo
Roar Rookie
wheres the evidence that Guerra jumped?? a one-legged jump...AND a flip.... must be a gymnast !!!!! seriously what are you people watching? what a load of crock. he still lifted the leg....and this is the IMPORTANT part... placed the Player in a dangerous position... nothing more needs to be said... Grade 1... points already accrued...he has to go... its not like he's captain of Australia or anything... he's just a QLD SOO player...they only break rules for Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer... they didnt for Cam Smith years ago....
Georgina
Guest
Daniel spot on ......Hodges pushes every tackle to the limit of the rules and this means he often goes beyond and rarely gets punished well ...'if play by sword die by sword'....this time he got caught and his career is dead!....R.I.P. Mr Hodges
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
Guerra is a mate of Hodges and is trying to do him a favour. Hodges is the dirtiest player in the NRL and it was a dangerous tackle - there should be no question that he should get rubbed out of the GF. After McKinnon, it would be an absolute disgrace for the NRL to go soft on a lifting tackle like this where the player is clearly put in a very dangerous position - particularly given they banned Burgess just for chucking a plastic bottle at a players feet.
pete bloor
Guest
That kind of approach would be apt given the names of the two teams involved.
pete bloor
Guest
You have it at the players discretion, if the club holds more sway for them than the rep team then they choose not to double load. I'd also have a cap on it like anything over say 300 or 400 demerit points loading can't be doubled as you don't want someone committing a pretty outrageous offence and then getting to play.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
That's a fair call, pb. I reckon it has merit. The obvious problem would be differences of opinion between clubs and rep sides as to where the suspension is served.
Birdy
Guest
Forget the options, if I were Bennett I would name him in the starting squad and play him in the GF . He did nothing and has nothing to answer . Let the lawyers fight it out.
pete bloor
Guest
They could give players the option to double load the penalty and fine and play the next match for finals and rep games. After all it isn't really "justice" it is punishment as the suspension doesn't make the team offended against whole.
Birdy
Guest
Totally agree, No matter how many times you watch it guerra jumped. I'm not interested if the system is right or wrong , he simply has no case to answer .
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think origins, tests and grand finals should be treated differently when it comes to suspensions. Lockyer played 355 first grade games. Four of them were grand finals. Terry Lamb 350 games, three grand finals. Not only are they much rarer, they are far more significant games. If a player has a one week suspension for a minor charge I don't think they should miss a grand final for it.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Seriously? No black and white? Your faith (read bias) in the nrl's judicial system must be based on something other than evidence. This year alone has seen every tackle remotely resembling a shoulder charge getting pinged, unless you pull one off perfectly because then you don't have a case to answer. So then the nrl changes the rule and pings every one again until someone fights it and then everyone gets off again. But I see your reasoning regarding big games not being treated differently, unless you're mick Ennis, then as long as you're not named until the last minute it's fine, even if you train all week for the game. But I guess, apart from the times they were wrong, the judiciary hasn't made a mistake this year.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Who says there is no grey in the law? If it was black and white we wouldn't need lawyers. I have no desire to see Hodges get a fairytale ending. That wasn't a lifting tackle, simply because Hodges wasn't lifting. He was holding Guerra's leg who then jumped up and flipped himself over. It was plain as day. There is no 'can of worms' here. Lifting in a tackle is a no no. Holding someone's leg off the ground is not a problem. I guarantee that's how the judiciary will see it and that Hodges will be playing on grand final.