What I am saying is the niggle has always been part of the game.
I played for many years and there is always a guy, who will do the cheap shot stuff.
Get a reaction, get them to throw one. Some go to far like hoppa and gallen, put if you have packed into a scrum and never copped a headbutt, or groin punch, you played a different game.
I like the blairs and gallens.
+1.
Ennis is valued in part due to his sledging, and Gallen and Blair are valued in part due to their niggle. While it may not all rainbows and butterflies, this isn't netball. There is definitely a place in the game for "controlled aggression".
However, if a player goes out of line to the extent that it is outside of the game's rules, it needs to be addressed seriously. There needs to be a clear distinction between niggle and rule-breaking. Referees need to have the courage to actually Sin Bin, and use the punishment of letting your entire team down be a disincentive to negative play. And in more serious cases, the NRL Judiciary needs to be more effective than what it currently is. Stronger, more consistent punishments would stop a lot of crap. I know as a Storm fan I was shattered when Cameron Smith was suspended for the Preliminary Final and the Grand Final in 2008 for his tackle on Sam Thaiday, but at the end of the day he deserved it, and I'm sure most players made sure they played within the rules for the next couple of weeks as a result.
Anyway, as long as play is within the rules, it's fair game - it adds to the dynamic of the game.
