Stopping a try with your foot: ban it.

[langpark]

I don't see why using your foot to trip a player is considered such a horrible offence yet it's perfectly fine for a player to stick a foot out to stop a try (most times missing and getting them in the face or chest instead).

Matai has now escaped punishment on the basis that he was "trying to stop a try with his foot" but instead ends up kneeing a guy in the ribs. So, basically, being unco-ordinated has gotten him off being charged.

Tackles are made with the arms, not with the feet (unless it's to stop a try it seems).



Spare me the "harden the f*** up" replies if that's all you have to say

 

[t-ba]

But how will Billy Slater defend his line?

 

[Goddy]

Don't ban it, just acknowledge you f**ked up by letting Matai off. That's what the NRL should do.

 

[langpark]

are you serious!? So you're happy for them to "acknowledge they f'd up"? then next time as long as they "acknowledge it" and the time after and so on. It's like a judge telling a armed robber he can walk free if he "acknowledges he did the wrong thing".

What is needed is a completely black and white rule like this so that they have no choice but to give us consistency...

 

[Pierced Soul]

i think the "rule" is that you can use your foot as long as you dont make contact with the player which mattai obviously did. i agree with you, you shouldnt be able to try and dislodge or kick a ball in someones grasp.

the MRC f**ked up with it. they're more concerned trying to find some way to retrospectively charge thurston for something

 

[Warriorsoul]

Should be allowed to stop it with hands only, or face. I'd pay to watch that, flying head butt at the ball

 

[woodyk2]

I reckon ban saving trys with the foot...it's bound to go wrong at times.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

I reckon ban saving trys with the foot...it's bound to go wrong at times.

On that basis we should ban tackles as they go wrong at times, too.

 

[Danish]

What Matai did was already banned in 2008 after Manly had a big ol' cry in the aftermath of the 08 grand final.

No reason to add mote rules, just get the dickheads to enforce the ones we already have

 

[Frank_Grimes]

i agree with you, you shouldnt be able to try and dislodge or kick a ball in someones grasp.

That is the rule. You can't strike at the ball being carried by a player with your foot. It's why we've seen possible 8 point trys in the past. It's why the uproar started after Slater made several ninja kick try saving attempts in the 40-0 GF. Ironically against the team which has just been incentivised to continue it.

EDIT: Danish beat me to it by a minute.

 

[The Elephant In The room]

I liken this to a shoulder charge. You should be able to attempt it and get away with it if it all goes right, but if it goes badly, then you should get charged and suspended heavily. Risk v reward.

That said, there was no way Matai was trying to stop the try by getting his feet under the ball. It was just a cheap shot, from a thug of a player.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

That is the rule. You can't strike at the ball being carried by a player with your foot. It's why we've seen possible 8 point trys in the past. It's why the uproar started after Slater made several ninja kick try saving attempts in the 40-0 GF. Ironically against the team which has just been incentivised to continue it.

EDIT: Danish beat me to it by a minute.

I don't recall Matai "ninja kicking" anyone.

He came in from an upright position to hold Yow Yeh up, Robertson got to him first and tackled him, lowering Yow Yeh's height. Matai's knees made contact with Yow Yeh, in a pretty clumsy way.

The rule should be there to enforce Slater-style "ninja kicks", yes.

 

[firechild]

Slater has done it countless times since the '08 GF with no consequences (even having a NZ try attempt dissalowed and ruled as a knock on when Slater kicked it out of the Kiwi player's grasp over the line). Thurston made an attempt to dislodge the ball from David Williams' grasp in SOO and the result was a kick in the face. This also went unpunished. If people want to start sooking about Matai being cleared, perhaps they should look at previous incidents.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

Slater has done it countless times since the '08 GF with no consequences (even having a NZ try attempt dissalowed and ruled as a knock on when Slater kicked it out of the Kiwi player's grasp over the line). Thurston made an attempt to dislodge the ball from David Williams' grasp in SOO and the result was a kick in the face. This also went unpunished. If people want to start sooking about Matai being cleared, perhaps they should look at previous incidents.

FMD, Thurston was charged and avoided suspension with an early plea. Matai has loading up the wazoo so an early plea wouldn't have helped him.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Its difficult to penalise IMO because you have to take into consideration that sometimes it can't be helped. If a player falls to his knees to stop himself, thats seems ok to me. But not for trying to stop a try.

 

[veggiepatch1959]

Years ago, Matthew Ridge, when playing fullback for Manly, kicked the ball out of the hands of an opposing player when he was diving over the tryline.

Back then the commentators said "Brilliant...what a try saving effort!"

The only good thing about it was it came off without injury to either player. Attempt the same thing in 2011 and it should be on report at the very least.

Use of the feet and knees against another player is a dog act regardless of the circumstances.

 

[firechild]

Back when that happened it was completely legal and Ridge kicked it out of the Donkeys players' hands so cleanly it was a brilliant play. Had he mistimed it and kicked the bloke in the face he would have been in all sorts of trouble. Slater must have been watchign that day and attempted to base his gola line defense on that single play. However, Slater rarely (if ever) makes such clean contact with the ball and it appeared to be just a matter fo time before someone got injured. It should be completely ruled out of the game and pucishments for leading with the legs should be tougher. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you view the current situation) the NRL has taken a half arsed approach, as they do with so many issues, and it has resulted in Matai being cleared.

 

[RHCP]

Thought leading with the foot was already against the rules?

 

[Hutty1986]

It is illegal.. except if your name is Billy "media darling" Slater!

 

[Packy]

I hate Matai as much as anyone but I didn't think his was that terrible. Hayne on Goodwin in 09 was farm worse and wasn't punished.