This is why players need someone to babysit them in interviews....

[Yosemite Sam]

Nothing wrong with 2 men going toe to toe. Article is spot on.

 

[thorson1987]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/the-onepunch-rules-is-turning-rugby-league-into-a-grubby-game/story-fndujljl-1226976727873



These people are f*cking morons!!!

We wonder why NRL is considered a sport for bogans and thugs, then you hear something like this...

"I should be allowed to punch people in the face because thats how normal society works"
- The great Paul Gallen (pictured here)

This is why players shouldnt be allowed to talk.

The NRL needs to put some seriously good Brand Managers into every club just to filter shit like this from being said by players in public....

Yep, lets go back to where players only ever speak in cliches in interviews instead.

 

[kbw]

What Bird said is very true. I am not saying its right or wrong to punch on, but there are certain players that are the worst type, filthy little shits, like Cameron Smith that know there are no repercussions for what they do.
Granted Smith has been a protected species for a long time, but can you imagine if he tried his crap in the 80s or 70s ?

 

[StormHi]

Bird is on the money same soft c**ks crying about the biff are probably the same soft c**ks who tsk tsk at a parent giving their bratty kid a smack on the bum.

Go watch AFL.

 

[dragonsrule10]

Instead of throwing punches can't they just hit hard in defence? You get ample opportunity to do that throughout a game.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Yep, lets go back to where players only ever speak in cliches in interviews instead.

Well, its better than intentionally damaging the brand of the firm that employs you...

 

[Flapper]

So what exactly is forcing the players to niggle each other?

 

[nrlnrl]

Instead of throwing punches can't they just hit hard in defence? You get ample opportunity to do that throughout a game.

I agree with this.

Sadly players would complain & say they can't shoulder charge any more because most of them have poor pure tackling technique as they're coached to wrap up the ball & wrestle rather than just tackle. There are only a handful of players like Nigel Plum who can tackle 1 on 1 or use their shoulder legally to complete a strong tackle. The tighter jerseys these days combined with the poor technique of grabbing rather than tackling sees a lot of missed tackles.

Seriously, most of the players credited with high tackle counts ( 50+ ) inflate their stats by being 2nd or 3rd men in & just flopping or restricting a player from passing by pinning his arms or forcing him to overbalance & fall to the ground when he's already held.

I realise the game has changed & players need to slow down the play the ball & 1 on 1 tackles are frowned on the 90% of the time, but if the wrestle was eliminated it would clear up a lot of the niggle with elbows or leg / ankle twisting & pulling.

Yeah I know, watch old games from the 90's or earlier if you want to see that again.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Helen Lovejoy approves of this thread.

Bird is not only right but it's good to see a player actually provide an opinion that doesn't toe the party line or sound stupid. He makes a good point and does it persuasively. Good on him.

The NRL treats the players like children on the field but lets them run omok off it. Something is seriously out of kilter.

 

[Surely]

Any truth to the rumour that swan lake is the half time entertainment for the gf this year ?

 

[insert.pause]

Helen Lovejoy approves of this thread.

Bird is not only right but it's good to see a player actually provide an opinion that doesn't toe the party line or sound stupid. He makes a good point and does it persuasively. Good on him.

The NRL treats the players like children on the field but lets them run omok off it. Something is seriously out of kilter.

They don't condone players throwing punches off the field either, and neither does society. Allowing or encouraging it on the field would be a contradiction.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Stupidest argument ever.

1. The game never condoned punching. It was always against the rules.

2. The NRL doesn't condone players tackling people off the field but that doesn't make it a contradiction to allow it on the field.

3. Society's expectations don't seem to worry them when they allow players to essentially get away with dodgy actions off the field.

 

[supercharger]

All those fights in ice hockey certainly destroying the game...

I grew up skating, playing hockey and watching a hell of a lot of hockey but it's time fighting is banned
Look at olympic hockey it's the fastest, smartest most skillful thing there is and there's no blood shed
I am so sick of designated fighters and all the staged fights on the first shift, and I'm sick of morons like don cherry To hell with them. We can't talk about players' health and reducing concussions and still have guys pounding each other in the head with fists...in front of kids no less. Why? BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS HAD IT ain't good enough.

 

[insert.pause]

Stupidest argument ever.

1. The game never condoned punching. It was always against the rules.

2. The NRL doesn't condone players tackling people off the field but that doesn't make it a contradiction to allow it on the field.

3. Society's expectations don't seem to worry them when they allow players to essentially get away with dodgy actions off the field.

Stupidest argument ever.

1. Yes, it has never been legal so making it a mandatory sin bin shouldn't be an issue.

2. Players know they are going to be tackled as they are professional participants in a contact sport in which tackling is a skill that is coached. Punching is not a part of rugby league.

3. The NRL can't control what players do off the field, they can on it and are responsible for it.

 

[Perth Red]

2. Players know they are going to be tackled as they are professional participants in a contact sport in which tackling is a skill that is coached. Punching is not a part of rugby league.

To be more accurate punching has not been a part of RL for 12 months. For the previous 118 years punching has been in the game. Watching mark broadhurst deck some niggly little sht from queensland remains one of the greatest RL moments I have watched live!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Stupidest argument ever.

1. Yes, it has never been legal so making it a mandatory sin bin shouldn't be an issue.

2. Players know they are going to be tackled as they are professional participants in a contact sport in which tackling is a skill that is coached. Punching is not a part of rugby league.

3. The NRL can't control what players do off the field, they can on it and are responsible for it.

Making it a mandatory sin bin ruined one of the biggest games in history as a spectacle. Well done NRL. You and Helen were probably loved it. No one else did.

The NRL can and should act on off field behaviour but instead they choose to punish players for just playing the game while wife beaters, druggies and other assorted crooks are protected.

These f**kwits cry about society's expectations when it comes to on field issues that no one actually worries about but then makes excuses as to why off field behaviour that really does not meet society's expectations is not an issue for the NRL.

You should be on the arlc. You've got the same warped principles as they do.

 

[insert.pause]

Making it a mandatory sin bin ruined one of the biggest games in history as a spectacle. Well done NRL. You and Helen were probably loved it. No one else did.

The NRL can and should act on off field behaviour but instead they choose to punish players for just playing the game while wife beaters, druggies and other assorted crooks are protected.

These f**kwits cry about society's expectations when it comes to on field issues that no one actually worries about but then makes excuses as to why off field behaviour that really does not meet society's expectations is not an issue for the NRL.

You should be on the arlc. You've got the same warped principles as they do.

The rule didn't ruin the game, the players and referees did. The rule was in place for game one and it was described as one of the greatest origins ever. Anyone who watches the game for a punch up is no rugby league fan, they are a dinosaur and the game doesn't need them.

The NRL are not the police, they control what they are responsible for and that is the game on the field. There's no argument from me that they need to be more consistent and harsh for misbehaviour off the field as well, and hopefully they are going in that direction, but that doesn't negate their responsibilities to the behaviour on the field. It is a strange argument to stick up for the biff on the field because players get away with too much poor behaviour off the field, they aren't mutually exclusive, and the NRL should be as strong as it can be on both.

 

[insert.pause]

To be more accurate punching has not been a part of RL for 12 months. For the previous 118 years punching has been in the game. Watching mark broadhurst deck some niggly little sht from queensland remains one of the greatest RL moments I have watched live!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk

I'm sorry, point out to me in the rules of the game where it describes the role of punching, yes, it has happened before and it's still going to happen, but like anything against the rules should be actively discouraged. There is nothing to stop a player punching now, other than self control and an awareness that it is going to cost their side a man for 10mins. If they have the self control not to punch, then they have the self control not to niggle, they are paid for their skills as football players, not two bit grubs. To make the argument it is some sort of essential element in the game is ridiculous.

 

[TheVelourFog]

if it happened on the street it would be assault, so why is it ok on the field? I get angry or emotional so I can punch the f*cker who just tackled me? Grow up.

it wouldnt be tolerated in any other professional team sport in the world barring Ice Hockey, and even then the participants are sat out for a period of time.

 

[BunniesMan]

We want to let players punch each other in the face when the vast majority of society has said they won't stand for it. We want to do this because of "niggle". HOW ABOUT JUST CRACKING DOWN ON NIGGLE. The NBA has gone to great lengths to crack down on things like that. If someone slaps someone or grinds their arm into a blokes face that is pinned to the ground, how about giving them enforced holidays?