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actually it will make him more effective, next time he tries to shoulder charge Inglis the ref will have to stop play and call a penalty, giving us time to set a defensive line.
There was also this biography of Johnny Warren.
Give shoulder charge boot
- Darren Lockyer
- The Courier-Mail
- March 10, 2012 1:00AM
SEEING STARS: A dazed David Simmons is helped from the field after a heavy knock from Frank Pritchard. Picture: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images
THE shoulder charge will soon go the way of the spear tackle in rugby league.
Canterbury's Frank Pritchard was suspended this week for one game over his big hit on Penrith's David Simmons, with the shoulder-on-head impact leaving the Panthers forward so concussed he cannot play in round 2.
Player welfare is a bigger and bigger issue, with players mindful of the long-term consequences of repeated concussions.
We have to move with the times.
It might not be intentional to knock a player out with a shoulder charge, but the spear tackle was rubbed out of the game through repeated suspensions, some quite hefty.
Lifting tackles of any kind have been viewed closely for years by referees and the match review committee. Players rarely make a miscalculation these days.
Fans do love seeing the physical contact of shoulder charges.
I am told Chris Close - who has a love of the game so strong no one should doubt his motives on an issue like this - went on Twitter when he heard of the charge against Pritchard, writing that "big hits front on with arms down ... that's what brings them through the gate. Leave the game as is".
Choppy isn't alone there.
What I'd say to that is Tonie Carroll was someone the fans loved to see tackle. We won't lose much in our game by the outlawing of shoulder charges.
You didn't see TC hit someone in the head with his shoulder too often - he would aim to drive his shoulder into the rib cage. It's what we need to encourage rather than shoulder charges.
Pritchard is a tall man. His shoulder is going to be, at impact, where some players' heads are. If he is leading with a shoulder charge, he is a good chance to knock someone out, as he did last Saturday.
It's a grey area and I can see it coming soon that the shoulder charge is banned.
Shoulder charges are illegal in rugby union. It's a matter of when, not if, the same applies to our game.
STARS SHINE
THE stars showed in round 1 why they are paid like stars.
The round also demonstrated how close the race will be this year.
Billy Slater soared high to grab a match-winning catch of a bomb in Canberra and Benji Marshall kicked a golden-point field goal.
The Roosters and Canterbury won games after being behind into the last 10 minutes. Jamie Soward got the Dragons home with a one-pointer after 80 minutes.
I have long been a supporter of extra time.
One idea the NRL should consider is wins have to be by more than one point.
A penalty goal might win games, but slowing down play needs to be discouraged.
