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Commission to outlaw 'shoulder charge'

Should the Shoulder Charge be banned?


  • Total voters
    346
Messages
2,364
Surprise surprise, the lowest common denominators of society can't seem to grasp the concept of plausible deniability.

The shoulder charge is dead and buried, in the form we knew it. You wouldn't want to players to band together and sue the NRL for allowing them to play whilst knowing the risks, would you? It's a very real possibility in America with the NFL so it makes sense our reactionary administration collectively shit brix when this one came up.

The refs are letting most of them go. We've seen loads of tackles so far that, last year, the media and NRL were saying are shoulder charges. Round 1 and the refs and commentators are being suspiciously quiet when the same tackles are going in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdO0MBQJgQs (no different to the Elijah Taylor shoulder charge)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXCWVgGeg58 (Matai with the same technique as the George Rose hit that was penalised for in the All Stars game)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPCy7Bwtuhg (Same technique as the Graham hit that knocked Hoffman out last year)

After watching round 1 I realise I have no idea what a shoulder charge is!
 

afinalsin666

First Grade
Messages
8,163
Surprise surprise, the lowest common denominators of society can't seem to grasp the concept of plausible deniability.

The shoulder charge is dead and buried, in the form we knew it. You wouldn't want to players to band together and sue the NRL for allowing them to play whilst knowing the risks, would you? It's a very real possibility in America with the NFL so it makes sense our reactionary administration collectively shit brix when this one came up.

That's the problem. It was removed for legal reasons whilst the suits were claiming player safety. The hits are as hard, there's still the same probability of headshots, and the players are no safer.
 

Springs

First Grade
Messages
5,682
So if the ban was for legal reasons, what's now stopping Pearce or Reynolds from suing their club or the NRL for keeping them on the field after big head knocks? Staying on the field after a knock like that could cause serious damage especially if they were concussed and got knocked again.

Or is this rule a complete joke and all the hits that can result in injury are still allowed and can still go wrong, with the only hits being penalised soft hits like George Rose or Elijah Taylor. The Burgess hit on Pearce wasn't a shoulder charge, but one game into the year and we have already had what the NRL was supposedly trying to rub out. A shoulder to the head, with the arm raised. This ban is ridiculous. All that talk about G force and subconcussions and we have hits as big as ever, which will cause just as much damage later in life as before the ban. So the ban is pointless. All it's done is robbed us of some exciting hits.
 

afinalsin666

First Grade
Messages
8,163
Not missed at all.Defence is about tackling,not bumping like a slot machine.

True, but the most overlooked factor of the shoulder charge is the Morale boost it gives the rest of the pack. Unfortunately a staunch workhorse won't fire up his players as much as one big hit.
 

BunniesMan

Immortal
Messages
33,687
What the players and fans want won't pay the legal bills 20 years from now.

The game is still great without this. And anyone who needs it to enjoy the game can f**k right off and find another sport to follow.
 

DC_fan

Coach
Messages
11,980
The game has been more exciting without it. Record crowds and to notch TV ratings prove fans can live without it.
 

WaznTheGreat

Referee
Messages
24,263
Shoulder charge is geniused,it isn't even a tackle,players can put on bigger hits with proper tackles then flying through the air like a tard leading with the shoulder
 

snogard6

Juniors
Messages
556
How can they say shoulder to shoulder is dangerous, hitting in the head is and is illegal, that should be the way they rule on it
 

Charlie124

First Grade
Messages
8,509
I love big hits, theyre the heart and soul of the game and make for an awesome highlights package. However round 1 this year had plenty of big hits and was one of the best opening rounds i can remember, from the 8 games on the weekend there was probably only 2 that you could consider mildly boring and that was only because 1 team in each game didnt show up and they ended up as blowouts. The one game i thought would be a smashing (Dragons V Storm) turned out to be a good one.

Compare that to previous years opening rounds and i think we're doing just fine without it.
 

New Guy

Juniors
Messages
141
How can you say the game is more exciting without it, when there has only been one round ?

Bring it back. Heavy penalties for any contact to the head.
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
What the players and fans want won't pay the legal bills 20 years from now.

but what about what punters want?

who cares about what punters want?

oh, that's right, tom waterhouse does.

GW-20May-2026_tom-20waterhouse_art-20wide_20120522133037187863-420x0.jpg


is it still legal to shoulder charge him?
 

Cammo

Bench
Messages
2,539
When scrums first changed everyone said the same that they must change it back to the way it was. The game went on despite this and got better for it. The same will happen with shoulder charges, they are not coming back and the game will go on, and will continue to get better
 

Charlie124

First Grade
Messages
8,509
How can you say the game is more exciting without it, when there has only been one round ?

Bring it back. Heavy penalties for any contact to the head.

Because i only have 1 round to compare, and to me the footy ive seen this weekend has been better than any round 1 i can remember. There were still big hits and i dont think the "loss" of the shoulder charge has been a loss at all.
 

Tweed Titan

Bench
Messages
3,205
Tackles can lead to contact to the head. Anyone taking bets on when the tackle or fend become outlawed from the game?

2029? Sooner?
 

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