The brazen inequity in the polar treatments of Queensland forward Josh McGuire and Canberra Raiders rookie Hudson Young shouldn’t anger or confound supporters of the various teams that play under the banner of the National Rugby League.
In fact, we should be grateful that, in allowing this blatant unfairness to be enacted, the governing body has extinguished any last notions that the competition’s administration cares about appearing consistent. Or fair.
That’s actually pretty comforting.
All rugby league supporters can now go on, secure in the knowledge that NRL HQ will unrepentantly do whatever they want, when they want and how they want, and that they aren’t answerable to anyone other than their almighty broadcast partner overlords and the major sponsors.
Accepting that reality allows us to let go. To give up our pointless struggle of seeking a fairer competition and better administration.
Josh McGuire of the Maroons (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
It is what it is.
We ordinary punters can’t change it.
By resigning ourselves to that we might find some peace.
Because we will find no comfort whatsoever in realising that Josh McGuire has now only been fined twice for “contrary conduct” in 2019 – on both occasions his hands making rough contact with faces of his opponents, something he has been called to account for in previous seasons too – while the Canberra Raiders rookie got five weeks with an early plea for an action that to most looked identical.
It has been openly speculated in the media that McGuire has been treated in such an outrageously lenient manner because he is a Queensland Maroons representative.
After the first time McGuire was let off with a fine this season, Graham Annesley pointed out that Cameron Munster, when asked by referee Grant Atkins if he wanted to make an official complaint about McGuire’s actions, declined to do so. Further, Annesley said the video evidence wasn’t conclusive.
That all seems fair enough until you compare the video of Hudson Young with his hands on Aiden Tolman’s face to McGuire’s on Munster. Most of us fail to see any difference.
Further, the Storm five-eighth after the match made this comment in relation to the incident:
“Me and Moose have a connection there. He did get me but I wasn’t going to put it on report.”
That connection? It is surely that they are Queensland teammates.
So the tree fell in the forest and everyone saw and heard it. Except, it seems, the NRL.
In spite of McGuire’s three previous similar offences in recent seasons, the video evidence and Munster’s own words, the NRL only gave McGuire a $3350 fine.
While Hudson Young is serving five long weeks, McGuire didn’t miss a game.
To cap it all off, McGuire again had his hands all over the face of an opponent in last weekend’s match against the Sea Eagles. However, in spite of it being his fifth such incident in recent times – and coming directly on top of the outcry over the inequity of the Hudson Young suspension – The NRL still didn’t suspend McGuire.
They opted to only fine him again. $4500, reduced to $3400. That’ll be nicely offset by the $30,000 he’ll get as he won’t be suspended for Origin 2.
The more brazen were still able to try and differentiate the incidents. Annesley said:
“There is a significant difference between a facial, for want of a better term, and poking around in the eyes of the opponent or what we traditionally call eye gouging.
“When you look at the evidence available in that charge this weekend compared with the charge of the Raiders player, there is a significant difference in the evidence which is available.”
Graham Annesley (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
George Orwell’s seminal novel 1984 was based on the idea that those who control the past control the present, and those who control the present controls the future. If we rewrite history, we can perhaps change current perception.
“We are at war with Eurasia. We have always been at war with Eurasia…”
“There is a significant difference…”
Personally, I’d just prefer Annesley and the rest of the minions at NRL HQ didn’t further insult us with such poor explanations. If you want to ignore McGuire’s record and let him play, so be it. Just do it and keep quiet about it.
We get it: Origin is the number one consideration and the NRL administration can make any rulings they like.
Just own your decisions and stop trying to justify them through flimsy spin, please – because that just demeans us all.
Tim Gore
Expert
As above Champ, What? Of course it’s emotive! If you tell a kid not to do something because it’s bad and he does it again, you are more strident the second time. By the fifth occasion, when he has continued to do it unabated and previous measures clearly haven’t stopped the actions, if you don’t a) view the recidivist behavior subjectively and b) impose a greater punishment that takes into account that the previous ones didn’t amend the behavior then you are a rank idiot. To have the temerity, the gall, to suggest that each incident should be viewed in isolation of each other is pathetic. There is no loading or carry over for fines for contrary conduct. Annesley is using pathetic and flimsy spin to try and explain away the NRLs inconsistent, ineffective and pathetic handling of the matter. And your sucking it all up. And then trying to claim I’m only saying all this through my supporter bias... With all due respect, I question both your intelligence and integrity.
Tim Gore
Expert
Nice to see we agree on something 40/20
Insider
Roar Rookie
Just incase you haven’t already been told Yippee yai yai yippie yippie yai Yippee yai yai yippee Yai yai yippiee Yippee yai yai yippie yippie yai
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
the NSW border... NSW? That's in QLD! I've been brainwashed! LOL
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
"Me (Munster) and Moose (McGuire) have a connection there. He did get me but I wasn’t going to put it on report.” That's QLDer for "we need him for Origin so I will look the other way (assuming I still have eyes left to see out of)". But if it was Paul Gallen? Yet one more example of QLD's "win at ALL costs" mentality and biased double standards. Remember, Cam Smith running in to advise Munster not to dob in another QLDer for biting so they wouldn't be rubbed out for Origin? The concern for sportsmanship and fair play is touching both north and south of the QLD border.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
The deliberate targeting of Paul Gallen by the QLD side of a decade of Origin... #playtheballnottheman Typical maroon tinted glasses. Stop it Nat. You're making a spectacle of yourself! LOL
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
2 very obvious and deliberate crusher tackles on Thursday night. Andrew Fifita - Charged to front the judiciary and possibly miss a test for Tonga. John Bateman - Nothing to see here, move along. You get this kind of thing every week.
Useless 25mm spanner
Guest
Something I’m amazed at is , sometimes you will actually hear the refs giving instructions to players . “Fred, Fred , your offside , stay out of the contest “. WTF? If the player is stupid enough to get involved, penalise the great bafoon. It’s like rugby league day care.
U
Roar Rookie
Need some more tinfoil for your hat?
Black Bird
Guest
Would you like some cheese with all this whine?
Bunney
Roar Rookie
I just LOVE that 'recidivist' has been used thrice in this thread... Awesomeness
TIGER MIKE
Guest
Good article just one thing BTW where is web link to the rules? Probably in the nrl page or should be lol Can you post the link here? Also on your main page would be great Cheers Mike
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Have to agree. I would go to watch Norths or the Steelers, both now gone. Refereeing is a joke with rules totally ignored for managing the game for broadcasters. I watch my local Group 7 games and the Waratahs and Norther Suburbs rugby. The difference between these three and the NRL? Referees referee the games not manage them. If a player offence is deemed bad enough, sin bin or send off. When was the last time a player was sent off in the NRL?
soapit
Roar Guru
The whole fine system needs to be scrapped. It's not a level playing field with players getting past in different orders of scale. As you point out what's a couple of$3k fines if it helps him get origin selection
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Here is my theory. Both Moose & Lodge being suspended would mean missing Origin hence McGuire gets fined & Lodge is not even cited. It's Origin time so "rules" get thrown out the window.
SilverShadow
Roar Rookie
It seems that McGuire is a serial offender from what I have read. Very strange that he would put his fingers anywhere near other players eyes, considering he has some visual incapacitation in one of his own eyes. One would think he would respect vision as a result of his vision loss. In saying that, I hope the NRL knows what it could be in for if at sometime down the track someone loses his vision (or part thereof) due to their decision not to come down harder on players who have previously offended with respect to eye incidents. Possible legal proceedings? Just a professional opinion.
Nat
Roar Guru
How can you possibly take offence to that comment? We are all bias toward our team, some more so than others. I was merely pointing out that if a Manly fan didn't see 5 weeks worth of eye gouge in it there must be some subjectivity to it to the decision handed down. I didn't drag you into anything, accuse you of anything more than being an unabashed Manly fan. Take a Bex and lie down, you were merely a reference point for Tim.
Adam
Roar Guru
Same. The forearm on the throat is a horrible, horrible look. Eye gouging is bad, but is pretty rare.
Nat
Roar Guru
“If you want a vision of origin future, imagine a boot stamping on a Blues face – forever.” Tim Gore. #playtheballnottheman
Nat
Roar Guru
Ok, so if Soliola attempts to take another players head off, should his punishment include what he did to Slater? Should Soliola's 5 week charge been upgraded because he was charged with a late hit on Maloney a few weeks earlier? Soliola is obviously a recidivist but his penalty was a result of the offence not the person. There are clear guidelines to follow to make an emotionless assessment of the offence. You call it quibbling because you don't agree with the outcome. The NRL believes there is a great difference between a facial and trying to thumb someone's eye out. You argue that because the facial came from McGuire it deserves more than the carry-overs and specific offence would usually incur. That's an emotive argument and one I hope the NRL does not implement.