Chris Dalton wrote:
I've never seen one given either so, fair enough. That's settled.
Actually, I may be mistaken. I've just read the rules on a voluntary tackle and I had them wrong in my head. I thought it was a voluntary tackle if the ball carrier either fell to the floor and made no attempt to get up and play on, or played the ball without being a tackle being completed.
Which pretty much is the definition of a voluntary tackle as stated in the Glossary of the Rules:
"Voluntary Tackle is where a player in possession voluntarily stops play when not effectively tackled."However the relevant section in the Rules, under the section Tackle & Play the Ball states:
"Voluntary tackle 4. A player in possession shall not deliberately and unnecessarily allow himself to be tackled by voluntarily falling to the ground when not held by an opponent. If a player drops on a loose ball he shall not remain on the ground waiting to be tackled if he has time to regain his feet and continue play."Now admittedly my memory of the event is somewhat hazy, but I'm pretty sure you could describe Joynt's actions as "voluntarily falling to the ground when not held by an opponent".
So by the Glossary definition I'd say it's not a voluntary tackle but by the description in the Rules I'd say it was.
What's that I hear you cry? Inconsistency at the RFL? Be gone vile heathen.