You have got to hand it to Slater. He has been the most dominant player to influence the NRL regarding illegal tackling.
He introduced the sliding feet to a player over the try-line. Controversy resulted. New ruling: sliding feet-first illegal.
He would protect himself when jumping for a ball by out-stretching a leg to present a boot to the face on a potential tackler. Controversy resulted. New ruling: raised feet to a defender when in the air illegal.
He shoulder charged to save a try. Controversy resulted. New ruling: Making an illegal tackle to save a try legal.
I well remember defenders instantly reacting to a runner stepping inside them by instinctively flicking out the inside arm. It was deemed a stiff-arm if it caught the attacker above the shoulders. Result: sending off and suspension.
These days it's: "There have been just three send offs across the last seven seasons and not one for head-high contact." (Au Guardian)
Now, how could a shorter man like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves break the jaw of Regan Campbell-Gillard with the point of his shoulder, not be classed as an illegal tackle to an opponent's head?
That the Working-Class game has one rule for tall poppy players from tall poppy clubs while battling players can go get stuffed, reflects how much it has become a business interest of big media business.
It now really reflects the inequality of the wider society where you are guilty until proven rich or famous.
If this had been the start of the year Slater would be having a holiday. But it's the game's showpiece and one of the big sporting spinners for newspapers, TV, radio and the net.
The administrators know where their money comes from. They could not afford to have principles interfere with this dollar dividend.
The business model won over the judiciary. After all, this is not a democracy's Constitution with one of those troublesome clauses regarding the Separation of Powers.
When you do not enforce your own rules, you tend to make a goose of yourself when justifying what cannot be justified. That goes double for big and biggish institutions that put their “image” ahead of all else…just ask those bodies uncovered by the Royal Commission charged with assaulting children under their care.
The way they tried to weasel out of admitting fault or responsibility would make Gerard Henderson envious.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg is no different. "Greenberg had no issues with the judiciary's verdict on Tuesday night, however in the wake of the fallout he revealed there will be a review to avoid any controversy around the rules in the future."
Unfortunately for his credibility, and anyone's belief that League is honest, he ruined it all by conceding: "Slater could have been sent to the sin-bin for deliberately preventing a try with a shoulder charge"
Well, according to his judiciary there was no shoulder charge as the shoulder was not the first point of contact. Further, if he believes Slater should have been sin-binned, then how could he not have a problem with a “not guilty” verdict?
The answer is simple when it is realised that honesty and justice are not the concerns here.
The wow factor in Slater’s last game being a GF is too irresistible for the media – the real suppliers of money for the game.
That Greenberg is obviously happy with the judiciary’s ruling may reveal that he would be capable of running any of those institutions that appeared in the above RC.
More proof…the NRL have appointed Sutton - the referee who gave Slater a penalty for the shoulder charge - as one of the GF refs.
There is a vote of confidence that those in charge during the GF should have our faith in their decisions!
How would Sutton be feeling today with him being publicly shamed by his boss: "Like players, referees will make mistakes from time to time."
Greenberg's flaws were again revealed soon after with this beauty: “We believe the law as it stands is pretty clear as to what constitutes a shoulder charge."
He has more contradictions that a politician caught out. To think he is running the game.
When the game is a business and when money is subsequently involved, the stated objectives of the game will suffer when in the hands of people like Greenberg.
“We want the public and fans to know that they can rely on the players they admire to live up to high standards of behaviour, maturity and integrity.
We want our players to be men of character, and we are prepared to do everything we can to help them become great role-models and leaders.”
Blah Blah…
The NRL have been cunning in not referencing administrators in those soaring statements.
I am not advocating amateurism; but I do believe that any business viewed as trustworthy will grow as a business.
