Junior League: Safeplay Issue

[***MH***]

Refereeing a game last Saturday (under 13's), I noticed players doing something dangerous to try and milk penelties. In the act of the tackle, the tackled player kicked out his own legs up into the air past the horizontal to make it look like he was being spear tackled.

It was obvious that this was being done deliberately by the ball carrier, running into the defense by ducking his head low and the tackler attempted the tackle by grappling the torso. The tacklers hands were nowhere near the leg area and there wasn't any lifting action in his tackle. The ball carrier swings his legs out the back and forces the defender to lose balance causing both players to hit the surface hard and the ball carrier coming down at a dangerous angle.

After this range of events the tackled player claimed he was lifted in the tackle and pleaded for a penelty. I told the player "You lifted your own legs, his hands were nowhere near your legs, get up and play the ball."

This happened a few times throughout the course of the game and I dismissed each plea with the same reply. I gave no caution to the player but as I think about it now, he should have been penelised for breach of Misconduct; Conduct Contrary to the True Spirit of the Game. (Section 15 Rule 1. {i})

In the safeplay code http://www.arlfoundation.com.au/uimages//32.pdf, there is nothing to reinterate players causing danger to themselves. This is something that needs to be addressed immeadiately.

Players need to ensure that their safety is of much more importance than gaining penelties to win matches.

(please excuse this being posted in the NRL disscussion, there is no Junior League disscussion to place this in.)

 

[Bomber]

It was obvious that this was being done deliberately by the ball carrier, running into the defense by ducking his head low and the tackler attempted the tackle by grappling the torso. The tacklers hands were nowhere near the leg area and there wasn't any lifting action in his tackle. The ball carrier swings his legs out the back and forces the defender to lose balance causing both players to hit the surface hard and the ball carrier coming down at a dangerous angle.

After this range of events the tackled player claimed he was lifted in the tackle and pleaded for a penelty. I told the player "You lifted your own legs, his hands were nowhere near your legs, get up and play the ball."

This happened a few times throughout the course of the game and I dismissed each plea with the same reply. I gave no caution to the player but as I think about it now, he should have been penelised for breach of Misconduct; Conduct Contrary to the True Spirit of the Game. (Section 15 Rule 1. {i})

Was it the same player each time? I've never heard of anything like that happening before.

If it was me (and I am a junior ref), I'd give a penalty to the defending side. It's probably no different to holding onto the tackler who's trying to get up in the play the ball, thus giving a penalty to the attacking side because of interference in the play-the-ball.

If he was a serial offender (i.e. twice), no hesitation to send him to the bin. Controversal perhaps but there's no place for cheaters on my field.

 

[***MH***]

It was obvious that this was being done deliberately by the ball carrier, running into the defense by ducking his head low and the tackler attempted the tackle by grappling the torso. The tacklers hands were nowhere near the leg area and there wasn't any lifting action in his tackle. The ball carrier swings his legs out the back and forces the defender to lose balance causing both players to hit the surface hard and the ball carrier coming down at a dangerous angle.

After this range of events the tackled player claimed he was lifted in the tackle and pleaded for a penelty. I told the player "You lifted your own legs, his hands were nowhere near your legs, get up and play the ball."

This happened a few times throughout the course of the game and I dismissed each plea with the same reply. I gave no caution to the player but as I think about it now, he should have been penelised for breach of Misconduct; Conduct Contrary to the True Spirit of the Game. (Section 15 Rule 1. {i})

Was it the same player each time? I've never heard of anything like that happening before.

If it was me (and I am a junior ref), I'd give a penalty to the defending side. It's probably no different to holding onto the tackler who's trying to get up in the play the ball, thus giving a penalty to the attacking side because of interference in the play-the-ball.

If he was a serial offender (i.e. twice), no hesitation to send him to the bin. Controversal perhaps but there's no place for cheaters on my field.

there were two players from the same team that inacted this

 

[keg]

I'd just let it go, unless it hurt a defending player, then i'd pin him. If he wants to hurt himself, that's his bad luck.

 

[In-goal]

Very Tricky situation, I'm not sure how you would deal with it. A penatly to the deffending side or maybe call the captain out and tell him to let his players know, or even stop play and speak with there coach.