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Why have we forgotten about the wrestling debate?

Roar Rookie
22nd September, 2016
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Scott Bolton of the Cowboys. (AAP Image/Michael Chambers)
Roar Rookie
22nd September, 2016
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Canberra coach Ricky Stuart said to the media on Thursday that it will be up to the refs this week to decide if the if we would see a good open game from all four finals teams, or if they would be played in an Octagon.

It’s no secret that there have been teams that have hired wrestling or Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) coaches to show them techniques in attempt to slow down the play the ball and halt the oppositions momentum.

The Melbourne Storm have been the most successful team to employ the tactics but the they have again come under scrutiny with the Cowboys lodging a complaint. Second rower Ethan Lowe’s season was ended with a spinal injury and three other Cowboys players had mentioned that they had neck injuries.

Nothing came of the complaints from the Cowboys as the NRL felt the Storm had nothing to answer too.

A man that is more than qualified to tackle this subject is Australian UFC fighter Robert Whittaker.

Whittaker (a Rabbitohs fan) was on Fox Sports news to announce his upcoming fight with Derek Brunson when the UFC return to Australia in November when he was asked about wrestling in the NRL.

“I look at what they do, I watch the game on weekends and they’re not wrestling they’re not grappling. They’re playing football”.

Whittaker is right to some extent, it’s not wrestling or grappling in the mixed martial arts sense but the wrestling moves are very effective and moves can be tweaked to make them effective in rugby league.

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While we won’t be seeing any triangle chokes or any armbars on the football field this weekend or in future games, it does seem that the need for wrestling to be taught to give teams an advantage will stay.

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