In 2016, a worrying trend has emerged in the NRL. And I’m not referring to referring mistakes or bunker blunders.
I’m referring to the act of cowardice that is tripping.
It is one of the most pathetic things a player can do on a football field. It is a disgrace on the player, the team and the sport.
In the past, tripping an opponent was an immediate send off. In the modern era, players aren’t even put on report.
Over the course of the last few seasons – especially in the opening seven rounds of 2016 – tripping has become rather commonplace, with players no longer fearing being sent off or even sin binned.
More often than not, players aren’t even put on report for tripping. It appears that the players out there just don’t fear the punishment.
The grade one charge for tripping is a lowly 75 demerit points. That isn’t even a one-week suspension for an act which can cause serious injury and is in contrast with the spirit of the game.
There are several ways to stop tripping. The most obvious is to bring back the send off. The other option is to increase the charge for tripping.
Increase a grade one charge to 225 points, and a player with a good record will miss at least one week. That will stop players from tripping quick smart.
Whatever the NRL does however, they just need to eradicate this blight from the game once and for all.
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