It happened to Cooper Cronk against South Sydney in the finals last year and against Brisbane this year.
It happened to Kayln Ponga against the Roosters this week.
Playmakers getting hit late is happening, and the reason it is happening comes down to three potential possibilities.
Firstly, the punishments for the offenders are too light to get it out of the game. Secondly, the game is going soft and the Ponga tackle was a legitimate hit, or thirdly, the rules are allowing these late hits to happen.
The answers lie between the first and the third options. The second option of this being a legitimate tackle is only for those who don’t understand sport and rugby league.
Let’s briefly explain it. When a playmaker passes the ball or kicks it, his body naturally ‘goes soft’. There is no brace for impact. So when he gets hit, there will be a whiplash effect, and a strain on the body that wasn’t expecting the hit.
This happens when the hit comes later than what is expected, as it did with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves on Ponga on the weekend.
Kalyn Ponga of the Knights (AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
Let’s get to the solutions.
In rugby league, players need to be protected. Rugby league 20 years ago went very hard on the spear tackle. Great. Anything above the horizontal was dealt with. Eradicating the spear tackle had to happen. And it was.
Well done.
The head slam was next. This wasn’t tough, getting a couple in the tackle and slamming the player so the back of his head hit the ground hard. This was dangerous. Rugby league got rid of it. Well done.
Next must be these cheap shots. So what have we learned from the spear tackle and the head slam is this: Going in with clear rules and harsh punishments changed something that was in the game for many years.
It changed the culture of the sport to eradicate things harmful to the players. It didn’t make it softer, but it reduced the chances of head and neck injuries. Sadly in the Alex McKinnon case, in a contact sport serious injuries can happen.
But it can also be argued it wasn’t dirty play that caused the injury, rather an unfortunate tackle that didn’t end well. Protecting its players is something the sport must do. Rugby league has been conscience of over the years, and must continue to do so.
The main reason though we still have problems with late hits, is the rules allow it to happen. Someone at the NRL has come up with a blanket rule that has made things worse and not better for playmakers.
How do you judge the severity of a dangerous tackle? It’s actually pretty easy. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Now, as long as players wrap their arms around the kicker, they can virtually come as late as they want and make a tackle. Big men can stand behind the ‘but what if he didn’t kick and ran past me’ argument that is basically a load of nonsense.
In the case of Waerea-Hargraves, he had two metres to see the ball was kicked where he could have pulled out at any time, but instead decided to line up a defenceless player and smash him. It’s not tough, it’s the opposite of tough. Its weak.
Andrew Johns was very harsh on Tevita Pangai when he got Cooper Cronk late in the Roosters versus Broncos game in early April. Johns called it for what it was, a ‘dog shot’. Hitting a player not looking is not on. Johns was vocal, after a while all went quiet, and then the Ponga tackle happens.
It will happen again if nothing gets done about it.
The solution lies in the hands of the NRL. Penalties, harsh suspensions and getting rid of a rule that more or less gives big forwards a free shot at the opposition play maker are the answers. Get strict on it, and don’t allow for weak excuses.
Its not hard to see when a player is too late. So there is a problem, it’s now time to finally fix it.
Pickett
Guest
I've noticed that after Pangai's late hit on Cronk, the forwards tend to give a big shove on the playmaker so that he's fallen to the ground or gone back 10 meters. Has the same effect as a late hit in keeping the playmaker out of the play, but at least he's not hurt.
Jacko
Guest
There was a later tackle on a Warriors player by a broncos player on the weekend that wasnt even a penalty so its a late tackle.....nothing more....And I dont recall anyone being suspended for a late tackle....I guess others out there may do but I dont...........
Insider
Roar Rookie
Nat add 5 early guilty pleas to that so he’s hitting 15 visits and on 1 occasion had the charge overturned, your 100% choo Choo he sure has a reputation
Insider
Roar Rookie
Yep, his reputation is that of a grub
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
"non-shoulder charge" love it. That one wasn't grey mate, and only a 'non-shoulder charge' to a select and influential few. :)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
LOL.. send this part "The second option of this being a legitimate tackle is only for those who don’t understand sport and rugby league." to Gould... but he's always been in the Roosters corner over everything. Was defending Napa last year too. Sometimes I think Uncle Nic has funded some of Gould's afterlife.
elvis
Roar Rookie
Stop it. Where is your outrage?
Dutski
Roar Guru
No idea. I suspect he’s got points from everywhere! His record is pretty poor.
Nat
Roar Guru
On reputation? The rest of us call it video evidence.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Johns was vocal on the halves getting hit, like Cronk, but he, like the other commentators, reveled in the hit Pangai Jr put on McGuire not a week later... it was exactly the same thing... rushed up, the ball was passed, huge collision, everyone commentating loved it... I get that the league rubbed out spears and head slams... they are not subjective. Lateness is pretty subjective (to a point) and that is where the blurred lines are. What is late? How late is too late?
Rob
Guest
Did JWH get any points from the WCC swing arm head shot to the player on the ground? As a Cowboys supporter I watched Tamualolo and Scott suspended a shoulder charges last year? They were done on attacking players carrying the football and neither shot hit the head.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Sam is refereed on reputation and without the same consistency applied to players like JWH, James Graham et al. You won't catch me with that hook mate.
Dutski
Roar Guru
LOL. Let's just see what the hearing brings. If he gets off then I look forward to all the 'Jared is just a big misunderstood teddy bear' articles.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Good to get a Roosters fan’s perspective... :-)
Rob
Guest
Honest question, do you think saying this is part of the game attracts players, kids and sponsors? Eg some media people condoning JWH tough play. Personally I feel Gould’s comments are worse than say a Rugby Players Twitter post.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Ok hold the pitchforks for a minute. A shot that was deemed not worth a penalty during the match is now worth two weeks due to JWHs priors and he’s now pleading not guilty at the judiciary. From my point of view it was late, but not high. There was some rubbish in the tackle but is it worth all this froth and noise? It was worth a penalty. Move on.
Rob
Guest
JWH broke several rules. First he was never square at marker being deliberately off side to probably get to the kicker. That’s a penalty. He does this consistently? Second he accelerated after the kick getting him late deliberately. That’s a penalty and maybe Sin Bin material. The third and biggest issue is when he had Ponga in a prone position he followed through putting as much forces and weight behind Ponga’s head hitting the ground. That’s lucky not to cause a significant head or neck injury which is life changing stuff? It’s not a injury to a finger, leg or broken rib. Think Berrick Barns or recently Saint Kilda’s Paddy McCartin. Deliberately attacking the Head and Neck is no negotiable.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! JWH has been the master of, what Joey describes as a " dog act', for the whole of his NRL career. Its time he and others of the ilk were finally dealt with, before some poor bugger gets seriously hurt for a late shot that goes a bit too far, and the game suffers more embarrassment amid community & media uproar.
Nat
Roar Guru
He could have written the whole article on Sam Burgess and you take offence he mentions Souths at all? Sam has spent more than 10 weeks on the sideline after being charged with multiple high shots, raised elbow, grapple tackle, crusher, chicken wing, cannonball and the always classy squirrel grip.
Insider
Roar Rookie
Here we go, don’t dare criticise Souths, no not my club! Sams hit on Cronk was calculating, bloke wasn’t even facing him. The last time Sam took on a bloke head on he ended up with a busted face, you and your Souths, whether is burger head or Inglis you can’t accept they to have their faults, wasn’t that long ago you were throwing stones at jimmy now look.