Saddened! wrote:
Makes a mockery of the RFL's assertions pre-season that they would clamp down hard on cannonball tackles doesn't it. McIllorum is banned for 3 games for apparently attempting a tackle but being slightly reckless with the outcome (WTF does that mean?) yet Flower gets away with a classic attempt to 'snap the pole' and destroy someone's knee ligaments. The cannonball tackle is so dangerous, it doesn't matter which way the knee is facing, having your standing leg removed whilst being held up then having that combined weight collapsing instantly onto that joint could easily end a player's career. It's so easy to deal with too, any aggression onto the legs whilst the upper body is held is an instant red and a 3 game ban. They wouldn't do it again, it'd force Wigan to find another way to injure people. So easy to police, you are only allowed to grab, no force onto the legs when held. Easy peasy.
It's a bad tackle. Wane's moaning about it really irritated me.
It's something that has happened ever since Wigan introduced it over here and the latest eg of it was that hull KR player ending Flanagan's season last year.
The NRL have dealt with this tackle well and the refs were picking up on it a lot. I think it's an automatic penalty over there now. Time for us to follow suit. It's a pointless tackle.
