Dave Smith is the greatest administrator in RL history.

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

Walk in front of a bus, Smith.

 

[NrlCoach]

Gallop>>>SMITH.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Honestly thought Merrin would have gotten a red card. Tate only sent off to maintain equal numbers.

Excellent that referees are now sending players to the bin for fighting as they should have been all along. I enjoy the fights and get pumped up bit players should still be punished on the field for it.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Punch the opposition's best player, they will now get ten in the bin.

 

[Perth Red]

Only Merrin needed binning, the rest was a joke. Stop f**k ing with the game NRL!

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

Tate threw a punch and was right to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSzlnC6vQv4

On your left of centre at 0:09/0:10, replayed again at 0:29 - 0:32. You can see clearly "Tate 5" on the back of the player throwing an uppercut

Anybody denying that Tate punched him after watching that is kidding themselves. It's clear as day. Doesn't matter if he didn't connect or if it was in retaliation, we're told rules are rules and it's a sin bin for throwing a punch.

Bottom line.

 

[magpie4ever]

I had no problem dropkicking the shoulder charge as far as possible, as I always though of it as a cheap shot on the ball runner; but, this ruling is f**king ridiculous. It is a contact sport and tempers have and will occasionally flare.

FFS If that deserved 4 players in the bin than netball is a tougher sport.

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

Only Merrin needed binning, the rest was a joke. Stop f**k ing with the game NRL!

They've shot themselves in the foot with their soft rules.

There is no way that Tate should be binned for defending himself/retaliating, but with their broad "a punch is a punch" policy they f**ked QLD.

Let's think about it this way, they say that this rule has been brought in to clamp down on fighting. But if you punch a guy and know he's going to be sin binned if he defends himself, where is the incentive to not punch a guy?

If you can attack a key player, get yourself and him sin binned, why wouldn't you?

The no ifs or buts policy that's been introduced is ill thought out. One player attacks another that isn't looking, and the player attacked gets equal punishment on the field?

I think next game NSW should pick Hoffman again and give him instructions to strategically punch the best QLD players :lol::lol:

 

[Spot On]

I'm Dave Smith's biggest fan. The man has single handedly eliminated fist fights from Rugby League. From now on anyone who throws a punch gets an automatic sin bin. This is one of the boldest major moves I have ever seen in sports administration. Dave Smith has ensured his legacy as of now. As of now he will go down as one of the greatest things to happen to rugby league in the 21st century. As of now he is the best CEO in sport.

 

[Brutus]

I would suspend Merrin for 3 weeks on top of the 10 mins in the bin.

 

[NrlCoach]

FFS even the soft merkin AFL dont have send off for king hit let alone 10 min senbin.

 

[Brutus]

I hated how the refs sent 2 off from each side.

What's the friggin point.

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

I would suspend Merrin for 3 weeks on top of the 10 mins in the bin.

What's funny is Merrins actually was a king hit, he literally rushed in and threw punches at Tate before Tate had any idea what was going on. It was a sneak attack if there ever was one.

But I have a feeling it will attract less controversy than Gallens fair assault on Nate Myles :crazy:

 

[COUNTRYEELFAN]

How are the 9 commentators saying hodges didn't throw any are they seeing different footage to everyone else? Merrin and hodges in the bin play on wtf did Tate and bird do ?

 

[thorson1987]

How are the 9 commentators saying hodges didn't throw any are they seeing different footage to everyone else? Merrin and hodges in the bin play on wtf did Tate and bird do ?

You could see he was looking for the refs while he was throwing them.

 

[NrlCoach]

if i was a player who was about to be sub i would start a fight and take the opposition player with me to the sin bin. come back after 10 min fresh. Stupid rule cant believe you cant defend yourself and eve if you dont you still get binned

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

How are the 9 commentators saying hodges didn't throw any are they seeing different footage to everyone else? Merrin and hodges in the bin play on wtf did Tate and bird do ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSzlnC6vQv4

Watch the replay and follow Brent Tate (5), you see him throw an uppercut around the 30 second mark

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

What's funny is Merrins actually was a king hit, he literally rushed in and threw punches at Tate before Tate had any idea what was going on. It was a sneak attack if there ever was one

Yes.

For all the talk of the game going soft what Merrin did was genuinely poor form imo

If he punches Tate harder it's another Danny Williams. Is that how we distinguish these things? King hits are ok if it's a weak shot?

 

[Fufu Andronez]

The NRL should hold an open fight night at the end of the season, so all these blokes who wanna punch on can do it in a ring when everyone is prepared (king hit Merrin)

 

[Sharkie73]

How are the 9 commentators saying hodges didn't throw any are they seeing different footage to everyone else? Merrin and hodges in the bin play on wtf did Tate and bird do ?

You could see Tate throwing uppercuts.