So the World Cup match review committee found Aaron Woods had no case to answer. Well, wax my ’70s mo and turf player safety under the bus.
As far as lifting tackles go, Woods’ effort on Tim Mannah last Saturday night was a textbook gut-churner. Two defenders on a stationary opponent, hand between legs, lift followed by that dreaded awkwardness of the unknown.
Thankfully, given far more innocuous examples have resulted in lifelong issues, Mannah rose to his feet.
A mate who’s a Bulldogs supporter summed it up best when he lamented his club’s new recruit would be lucky to debut before mid-2018.
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Subsequent match reports played down the incident, noting Woods may miss Australia’s upcoming quarter-final. Others debated an on-field penalty was sufficient because the ex-Tiger, along with Ben Hunt, made it their priority to soften Mannah’s terrifying turf-bound journey.
Even Mannah himself, with his heart of gold, defended Woods, stating his long-time foe tried his hardest to put him down safely.
And, according to the match review committee, Mannah was right, which just goes to show as a game we’ve missed the point.
High school physics, with all its talk and fancy formulas, have no place in rugby league. Save rants about momentum, fulcrums and gravity for the lab, because if Woods hadn’t strayed between his opponent’s legs, Mannah’s long-term wellbeing would never have been questioned.
Unlike one-on-one tackles, where traditional techniques can result in a ball carrier breaching the horizontal, Woods was one of two defenders faced with a choice. The fact he made the wrong decision shouldn’t be overridden by his opponent’s good fortune.
The tackle was just as dangerous as the Alex McKinnon incident. If Jordan McLean’s seven-game ban is the benchmark, then Woods should have copped the same – anything less is a green light towards another disaster.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
On first glance i read 'pheromone for eyebrows' - yes, yes it is haha.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
The NRL had nothing to do with this decision, it was the World Cup match review committee. Are you sure you're a Doggie, Jack? Sounds like a rant from below an undersized Akubra.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Lomax sent off in the same match - before Far Side - only to miss the GF.. Felt bad for him as the boys completed the victory lap...the lime green jumper and blue jeans was even a bad look in '94.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
I don't mind Klemmer MAX, he's beginning to grow on me. At the moment the season is too long for him. He's still got plenty of time on his side and with age I expect his intensity to last longer as the years progress.
Jacko
Guest
Is Qld a NRL side now?
Andrew
Guest
Well if they are consistent they should have sent him off then..... When was that tackle... 1994? And I will help you out - He got a week not seven
Neville Neville
Guest
Has Tim Mannah ever left a rugby league field without a head knock or split eye? Is his chin a pheromone for elbows?
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
...yep, especially if it was played in Moresby at a betelnut free venue
Adam
Roar Guru
Must say Dugan has been a pleasant surprise for me this World Cup. He is normally pretty rubbish, but his work rate against England was top shelf.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Well reasoned Albo and I get your point. Our views are different on the build up to the dangerous position, so be it, play on. Cheers mate
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Maybe you would enjoy soccer more...
Adam
Roar Guru
Intent should not determine the outcome of a suspension. Sure, guys probably don't mean to take someone's head off. Sia Soliola from all reports, from Tim Gore, is a top bloke and would not have intended that. But it happened. When do you think League will start to punish on outcomes - or very near outcomes? If a guy bounces up from the lifting tackle is it really any worse than one where the guy stays down?
Raugeee
Guest
Hes Johnno - very happy to see Woods in the Blues line up. I mean - how does a tough Blues player like Josh Jackson get overlooked and players like Woods and Graham get in? I would rather see James Tamou playing, at least he bends the line. I think maybe the Kangaroos are underestimating how good the other forward packs are. I reckon Matt Scoot could've come back with minutes against Lebanon and France. Put it this way - if it was Origin - Scott would be playing. Maybe Samoa can give the Kangaroos a real scare and Meninga will come closer to picking players with genuine rep ability. BTW - I am quite a fan of Josh Dugan now - Mal has shaped him really well.
Albo
Guest
In fact it can be dangerous. For the odd occasion a team decides to actually push in the scrum to catch the other off guard ! Then it can become extremely dangerous to the other unaware & relaxed pack with their heads bowed into a sudden pushing force of weight !
Albo
Guest
Can't agree with you on this one Jason. As far as I could see with that tackle it was the combination of tacklers ( Woods lifting up legs as Hunt is pulling down from his torso?) that quickly placed Mannah into a wrong and potentially dangerous position, whereby every effort was immediately made by Woods to ensure that Mannah was held up and gently lowered to avoid any danger. There was no intent to endanger Mannah, there was no resultant injury inflicted on Mannah and Woods was penalised for nearly causing a problem. Good enough, I say. I'm no great Woods fan, but I couldn't rub him out for that tackle, otherwise potentially every two or three man tackle can be turned into a dangerous tackle looking for an infringer to rub out.
johnno2
Guest
If you watch Woods during any game he is simply a lazy player . When the team is going well the rest surpass his effort. The problem stems with a theory that big men are fearsome and this has been used thru the ages in the top level in Australian rugby league teams . He won't ever be any better a player than he is now Even Dugan's game that I personally find totally overrated puts in the effort and ocassionally is in the right place at the right time Keep selecting Woods and QLD will keep winning SOO
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Can't agree that 7 weeks would be appropriate - maybe 4 - but otherwise you're spot on Jason. Too much emotion wrapped up in MRC decisions; they seem worried about fallout regarding (what could be seen as overly harsh) decisions. Imagine if our justice system worked the same way, with judges sentencing criminals in May to 6 months prison instead of the 3 years it warranted, because they didn't want the perp to miss Christmas.
Nick
Roar Guru
Agreed. Woods is - by a near undefinable margin - the most overrated player in the game. MAX - if the Bulldogs make 8 next year, it won't be because of Woods.
Raugeee
Guest
He's got that Crazy Caveman look but is really just a big pillow. The last 2 Kangaroo sides have had Regan Campbell-Gillard playing more minutes than Woods, making more line breaks, more tackles, more try assists - he should start at prop. Frizell can come back and take the bench spot.
Jack - another Doggiez Man
Guest
Just another case of the NRL looking after the majority. Sadly the number of fans engaged in the game is such that the NRL cannot afford to be divisive or make examples of those that contribute to the spectacle – and Woods getting away without punishment is another fine example of that. The issue has played out at the judiciary with the backdrop of Origin football over the years, each time to the benefit of NSW, the majority. These examples include Hayne (cleared of headbutt in 2010 to play Origin 2), Josh Reynolds (cleared of a grade two dangerous throw of Brent Tate in 2014) and the infamous Mick Ennis loophole that allowed him to make the judiciary process a laughing stock. The issue is that in each case, these three players were from clubs in Rugby League Heartland (Doggies and Eels) who without their selection, would have had only one representative in the NSW team. I won’t make it a debate that QLD has fought through adversity and an uphill battle with NRL HQ to ensure years of Origin dominance, but the NRL are fixated on appeasing the masses rather than setting an example for young fellas and this is an example of that.