Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:48 pm  

What I don't get is that apparently there are players on the disciplinary panel yet the needless and cowardly and dangerous things we see are virtually ignored.

The shoulder charge was banned and is stamped on every opportunity even though it was a part of the game a fair proportion of fans loved. Yet late hits on the kicker, lifting/dump tackles, cheap late shots on the passer are all just accepted even though they are in many cases FAR more dangerous. How are pros/ex pros overseeing that?

I would far rather see two props swinging for the rafters toe to toe than tackles like McIlorums, and I'd far rather see a shoulder charge than a late hit on a kicker. But we all know what will be picked up and whatigmored be ignored. The game isn't soft it's just exchanged tough for cheap and that's down to the officials and those in charge of them.

I'd also link it to the point we see about diving creeping in to the game. It's always going to when refs let those kind of cheap shots go. Some may disagree but if I were the coach I would be telling my players to make the most of every cheap shot they received. They are under no obligation to cover for their opponents or mitigate their cheap attacks. For a lift and dump like McIlorums I would tell my players not to move a muscle and make sure the dr is on and take every single precaution necessary. If it takes 20 mins to get him off the pitch so what. My players safety comes first. If that has the by product of drawing attention to the tackle and forcing the ref to make a decision then good. Every bit of illegal play would require a stop in the game with all the pressure that will entail because if the ref doesn't follow the instructions of a doctor or follow safety protocol then the lawyers will have a field day and if the RFL were to neglect their duties again the lawyers would be rubbing their hands with glee.

Eventually the only way to stop the game turning in to a mess would be to stop these incidents hy penalising them out of existence.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 7:59 pm  

Spot on Smokey.

Especially re the diving issue. It's now a regular occurrence for the ref to ask the VR to review an incident when a player stays down injured and then often gives a penalty. But that situation only occurs if the player stays down injured. That's encouraging diving. As is the issue at the play the ball. We see lots of holding down and interference that isn't penalised and so you've now got players having to "dive" in order to get the referees attention to actually give the penalty.

It's how it came about in football too. Players were getting fouled/obstructed in the penalty area but not getting a penalty because the refs were terrified of giving such a big decision. So they started making it obvious to the ref they'd been fouled.

The same is happening in RL now, and if I were a head coach I'd be telling my players that every single time they reckon they've been hit even slightly high or late to stay down and force the ref to do something. And I'd be telling them to make it absolutely bloody obvious to the ref that they've been held down at the play the ball. If that means diving then so be it.

The refs (and obviously their leaders) bring many of these issues on themselves (hence the problem with dissent in football) or at least make the problem a lot worse by not penalising or enforcing the rules when they should.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:34 pm  

Alex Thompson Injury v Rochdale So what's the VT jury verdict on this nasty piece of work? Watch it a couple of times, gets worse each time.

Alex Thompson Injury v Rochdale So what's the VT jury verdict on this nasty piece of work? Watch it a couple of times, gets worse each time.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:53 pm  

That's a shocker. He deserves a long ban.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:20 pm  

Horrible. I'm trying to think of any reason or justification for the Rochdale player to be doing what he is. But I can't.

Depending on his previous record he needs a very, very long ban of at least 20 games. Maybe a year. It's one of those that brings the prospect of sine die into consideration in my opinion.

A bit of a side issue but I'd also be wanting the RFL to take a look at other Rochdale games and see if their players have been using this kind of grip/hold as a tactic or whether it's a one off.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:32 pm  

Cronus wrote: Alex Thompson Injury v Rochdale So what's the VT jury verdict on this nasty piece of work? Watch it a couple of times, gets worse each time. Deliberate attempt to put pressure on the joint after the tackle was completed. Clearly intending to seriously injure the tackled player - and looks like he did. Take the rest of the season out to think about what a t0sser you are, son, and if you're lucky, we might let you play again next year.

Cronus wrote: Alex Thompson Injury v Rochdale So what's the VT jury verdict on this nasty piece of work? Watch it a couple of times, gets worse each time. Deliberate attempt to put pressure on the joint after the tackle was completed. Clearly intending to seriously injure the tackled player - and looks like he did. Take the rest of the season out to think about what a t0sser you are, son, and if you're lucky, we might let you play again next year.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Tue Jun 16, 2015 5:54 am  

Cronus wrote: Alex Thompson Injury v Rochdale So what's the VT jury verdict on this nasty piece of work? Watch it a couple of times, gets worse each time. Shouldn't set foot on a pitch again that is an absolute disgrace.

Cronus wrote: Alex Thompson Injury v Rochdale So what's the VT jury verdict on this nasty piece of work? Watch it a couple of times, gets worse each time. Shouldn't set foot on a pitch again that is an absolute disgrace.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Tue Jun 16, 2015 6:30 am  

That fella should be banned for life, then should be punched in the face by everyone registered on rlfans.com

lover

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:26 am  

Was that the sound of snapping bone?

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:31 am  

judging by the range of movement and him holding his knee, i'd say thats a ligament or two.

the fact that we can hear it, with a crowd,and twenty five other players on the pitch, from that distance suggests it was bleedin loud.