How many weeks for Billy Slaters Karate kick to the head of David Klemmer?

[Joker's Wild]

But i'm not whinging about a player who was stupid enough to run face first into someones boot being the victim. :?

f**k me you are delusional

 

[Spot On]

None. He might get some points and a warning but at full speed you could see there was nothing in it.

Nice dive from Klemmer too. Plenty of WWF about that roll around, I'm gravely injured until the penalty went the way of the Dogs when he miraculously bounced back to his feet and was good to go. Weak sauce, embarassing.

If he does he'll be gone. He has carry over points from his shoulder charge to the head in last week's game.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

I look forward to yet another rule change to punish Melbourne.

I agree, Melbourne are the real victims here. They should be able to fend with their boots, manipulate players' neck area in the ruck, kneel on calves and Achilles tendons, and dislodge the ball with their feet all they want.

 

[firechild]

From that replay, it looks as if Slater saw Klemmer running up for a contest/put pressure and stuck his leg out in his general direction.

You tell me that it is a natural movement to stick your leg out while jumping in the air. Slater's lucky that he wasn't sent off. Protected grub that he is.

From that replay it looks like Klemmer is going to run to Slater's side instead of making the tackle. Contact is only made because the boot comes out in that direction.

 

[chrisD]

I agree, Melbourne are the real victims here. They should be able to fend with their boots, manipulate players' neck area in the ruck, kneel on calves and Achilles tendons, and dislodge the ball with their feet all they want.

You forgot the chicken wing and cap cheating. Also Smith should be allowed to attempt to rip player's heads off, and when punished for illegal actions it's a TAB/NRL/NSW conspiracy.

 

[Jobdog]

Can't be f@rked reading 20 pages worth of (I'd say, complete and utter) drivel. There was nothing in it.

Sure, it's not the first time he's led with his knees/feet/legs but IMO he was just trying to protect himself from the defence. Smith was right - if Klemmer doesn't go to touch him when he's in the air, he doesn't get kicked in the head.

I would suggest a stern warning from the officials would be as far as it should go. A lot of people are blinded by hatred and it's clouding their judgment.

 

[Matchball]

Can't be f@rked reading 20 pages worth of (I'd say, complete and utter) drivel. There was nothing in it.

Sure, it's not the first time he's led with his knees/feet/legs but IMO he was just trying to protect himself from the defence. Smith was right - if Klemmer doesn't go to touch him when he's in the air, he doesn't get kicked in the head.

I would suggest a stern warning from the officials would be as far as it should go. A lot of people are blinded by hatred and it's clouding their judgment.

Protect himself from defence?
Majority of his grubby play is when he is defending. Sliding in on try scorers.

Have we forgotten the skando incident?

 

[chrisD]

Just trying to protect himself by kicking someone in the face, nothing in it, move along.

 

[ek999]

Can't be f@rked reading 20 pages worth of (I'd say, complete and utter) drivel. There was nothing in it.

Sure, it's not the first time he's led with his knees/feet/legs but IMO he was just trying to protect himself from the defence. Smith was right - if Klemmer doesn't go to touch him when he's in the air, he doesn't get kicked in the head.

I would suggest a stern warning from the officials would be as far as it should go. A lot of people are blinded by hatred and it's clouding their judgment.

Apart from the fact that there are rules in place to protect him from being hit in the air so he doesn't need to stick his leg out like that and that Klemmer never touched him before being kicked

 

[Liddell]

Can't be f@rked reading 20 pages worth of (I'd say, complete and utter) drivel. There was nothing in it.

Sure, it's not the first time he's led with his knees/feet/legs but IMO he was just trying to protect himself from the defence. Smith was right - if Klemmer doesn't go to touch him when he's in the air, he doesn't get kicked in the head.

I would suggest a stern warning from the officials would be as far as it should go. A lot of people are blinded by hatred and it's clouding their judgment.

Lol so you think defenders not only have the right to decide whether a tackle is about to be illegal or not, but they can use their studs as a precaution just in case...

 

[Jobdog]

Oh and it might help to have a look at it in normal speed...

 

[Jobdog]

Lol so you think defenders not only have the right to decide whether a tackle is about to be illegal or not, but they can use their studs as a precaution just in case...

You're right, he deliberately went out there to kick a bloke in the head. Suspend him for the season. :lol:

 

[Blackdiamond]

Can't be f@rked reading 20 pages worth of (I'd say, complete and utter) drivel. There was nothing in it.

Sure, it's not the first time he's led with his knees/feet/legs but IMO he was just trying to protect himself from the defence. Smith was right - if Klemmer doesn't go to touch him when he's in the air, he doesn't get kicked in the head.

I would suggest a stern warning from the officials would be as far as it should go. A lot of people are blinded by hatred and it's clouding their judgment.

100% agree!

 

[Jobdog]

And FTR I'm not the biggest Melbourne fan either. In fact, they'd be up there as my most hated team ...

 

[madunit]

Do you even know what an accident is??

yes.

He is purposely sticking his foot out to protect himself from the advancing defenders. He sticks his foot out so that he can take the catch uncontested.

Yes, with the intention of protecting himself and/or ensuring he can take an uncontested catch. The intent isn't to kick people in the face.

He is aware that the foot being stuck out is a deterrent to the opposition, lets be fair, getting a boot to the face is never enjoyable. You guys allege that it was an accident, but it isnt.

You did earlier say that he put his boot out for protection. Now you're saying he does it to kick people in the face. Make up your mind.

Well he may not have intended to stick the boot into Klemmer,

Thus, it's an accident.

he did however intend to use his boot to keep them away. That there indicates it is not an accident.

No it indicates something he has always done without incident, he does it to protect himself and/or ensure he takes an uncontested catch. Klemmer copping a boot to the face is an accident. Klemmer even said it was.

It is dangerous play.

I've not said it wasn't.

Players cant use there legs to kick or push away the opposition, regardless how long he had performed the act. I am not saying the NRL are all over this, they clearly let this go for so long.

and therein lies the problem. With no precedent and with the NRL allowing Slater to do this for so long, they can't all of a sudden turn around and suspend him for something they have allowed for years.

I have noticed this action before, but why the NRL did not act before is beyond me, unfortunately most business/sporting entities use the reactive approach "shit that merkin lost an eye, better ban it ASAP".

As we now, the NRL under Gallop was always reactionary. This is another example.

Why were shoulder charges banned, because the NFL were being sued and lawyers in Australia feared it may happen here due to continued concussions. Do you really think the game will allow sticking studs to the face??

No I don't. This argument doesn't in anyway confirm that Slater intentionally kicked Klemmer's face.

We have a bloody ref to police the game, we also have sanctions to punish those that breach the rules. If klemmer or any other player makes a tackle on a player in the air, its a penalty and potentially on report.. that there is what protects the players taking the catch. If slater is scared of possible contact, tell him to harden up or go play touch footy.

Emotional bullshit aside, The rules are made to protect players, yet infringements, accidents etc still happen. Rules don't fully eliminate risk or accidents, so using that as an excuse is quite daft.

If it were true, why do all fullbacks, bar Moltzen, take to the skies with their knees up? To protect themselves.

You can use the same backward argument there, "they must jump up, with their legs completely straight with toes pointing to the ground directly beneath them and knees not bent, they won't get hurt because the rules will protect them"

You speak about the rules protecting players like its some form of force field from Star Trek that is inpenetratable.

It's a contact sport, people will always brace or protect themselves from contact, it's human nature.

 

[Butters]

I agree, Melbourne are the real victims here. They should be able to fend with their boots, manipulate players' neck area in the ruck, kneel on calves and Achilles tendons, and dislodge the ball with their feet all they want.

You forgot the chicken wing and cap cheating.

Don't forget the crusher as well! I don't get the point you 2 are trying to make, you've both just listed examples where Melbourne have been exclusively targeted by the NRL and media. Was that meant to somehow prove that there haven't been rules made up and predominantly used against them? :?

 

[Valheru]

It was a definite penalty to the dogs but no suspension required. I can’t believe that Smith and Bellamy have the audacity to blame the bulldogs’ player for this; they are the 2 most arrogant people in the NRL. He didn’t tackle Slater in the air, he got kicked to the face by a man in the air.

 

[chrisD]

You're right, he deliberately went out there to kick a bloke in the head.

lol are you oblivious of his history or just a total moron?

"deliberate and forceful kick to the head"

 

[Eagle_Rocker]

If Klemmer hadn't been kicked in the head he probably would have reached Slater as soon as he hit the ground and been able to make a good legal tackle. Slater may not have been looking at him, but he knew defenders were coming down on him and he purposely raised his leg to protect himself and keep defenders at bay, this is illegal. If a player runs at the defensive line with his elbows or knees raised to protect himself, that is illegal, this is a very similar thing.

The General's post a few pages back shows perfectly that Slater does employ these tactics. I can't think of any other player in the game who has consistently led with their studs, this is his go! If it was his first time I would let him off, but it's not. Maybe a week or 2 on the sidelines and a warning that the next time will be much worse.

 

[ek999]

yes.

Yes, with the intention of protecting himself and/or ensuring he can take an uncontested catch. The intent isn't to kick people in the face.

Would that not be obstruction then. Billy is lucky it was Klemmer he hit so he got him in the throat. If it was someone shorter the player could have got a boot in the eye which could lead to a longterm injury