I've used this argument myself, but my feeling is that he had time to pull out knowing Teddy had tapped the ball on.. The arm gives it away. It moves after the ball has been tapped on. If you can swing your arm you can drop it to your side.
I agree with contact to the head only. I don't believe, nor did the match review committee, that he had time to pull out, otherwise there'd be an additional charge of a late hit - which would have escalated the potential suspension length.
I've just gone and had another look at it after your post though.... frame by frame leading into it. Can't show these frames on the post... Video link below..
All of this happens "in the 3rd second".. ie one second of play.
Its' my "Zapruder film" walk through...
At the start of the "3rd second"..
- Periera comes in off the wing with the Roosters on a 3-man overlap - targets Tedesco (receiving the pass. At this time - Periera is approx 3m from Tedesco, both are running essentially toward each other.
- When Tedesco first touches the ball, Periera is about a metre and a half away from Tedesco, who is propped on his right foot, and leaning to change his direction. Pereira is bracing to tackle.
- Tedesco taps it on as you suggest, by which time they are about a metre from each other. Both Players heads are at the same "height" off the ground. Pereira is committed to the tackle and there's no way they wont collide - however that may be.
- As the ball starts heading toward the wing from the tap-on, they are basically in front of each other, Periera's right arm is down by his side - bracing to make a tackle. He may or may not have expected the tap on - and if Tedesco actually took the ball (rather than tap it) it would still be in his possession at this time. Their heads are still at roughly the same height
- As Pereira's arm goes out for the tackle and his head turns, Tedesco's right leg / knee are now only inches off the ground and his head drops a significant height..
- Tedesco's head, just before impact - is now at the same height as Periera's shoulder... ie it's dropped from being at the same height as JP's to being at JPs shoulder in a spilt second..
- On Impact, Periera's arm is angled down well below his shoulder height - Tedesco's head is now below the top of JP's shoulder... pic below.
- By the end of the "3rd second" - the outside man has already taken the ball, and Tedesco is on the ground, with JP over the top of him..
All that said - if Tedesco's head stays at the same height is was when they were when the ball leaves Tedesco's hands - less than a metre away from each other - JP's arm will get Tedesco around the chest.
When Tedesco does tap the ball on, JP is completely committed to the tackle, his arm is angled below his shoulder at all times, and attempts to wrap around Tedesco.
What else could JP have done?
- Keep his arm down by his side? Well that would have been a shoulder charge by modern day standards...
- Withdraw from the tackle all together? At less than a metre away from each other - both players running toward each other. Absolutely no chance of that.
- Anticipated Tedesco's fall?? No chance of that either.
Breaking down something that happened in one second of play can definitely change the perspective of what "really happened" - ie play in "real time". And sometimes for the worse. But in this instance I believe it truly gives weight to the argument that Pereira has a legitimate case to get a far less penalty than has been assessed, and the tackle is far less "shocking" than many in the media suggest it is. The end result to Tedesco was bad, head contact and out for the rest of the game and possibly longer, but IMO it was far more accient than any issue with Pereira's attempt of tackle or technique.
Tedesco flattened by high shot | Fox Sports Videos
