Grand final judiciary

[Dexter]

Another player has to die before the shoulder charge is rubbed out of the game completely.

Wow, that is hysterical, and I don't mean funny.

 

[broncos4life]

Another player has to die before the shoulder charge is rubbed out of the game completely.

And even then, as long as it isn’t a media darling and/or storm player.

 

[Super Freak]

Wow, that is hysterical, and I don't mean funny.

You seriously can't see the issues here?

 

[broncos4life]

Wow, that is hysterical, and I don't mean funny.

Why? One player had been killed by a shoulder charge and that is not enough for the NRL to take it seriously, so why is it hysterical to suggest it will take another?

 

[Unbreakable]

Wow, that is hysterical, and I don't mean funny.

It's a bit over the top, but it's probably accurate. If a player died because of a shoulder charge in an NRL game they'd get rid of it completely. But they've shown over the last few years that they're gradually weakening their stance on it. Won't be too long until it's completely back in the game, much like how the refs "Crack down" on things like the correct play the balls, they all eventually find their way back in to the game.

This verdict officially marks the end of the shoulder charge ban in the NRL, unless it breaks the players jaw or knocks them out cold, you virtually can't get suspended for it now.

 

[Morkel]

I just can't see how they could come up with Not Guilty. Not without a clear as day rort.

Slater's defence claimed the following:

Billy Slater’s lawyer Nick Ghabar has argued “The rule only requires an attempt, the rule does not require a successful attempt” in his bid to get Slater off the shoulder charge.
The definition of a shoulder charge is “where a defender does not use, or attempt to use, his arms (including his hands) to tackle or otherwise take hold of the opposing player and the contact is forceful. It will be considered misconduct, if any player affects a tackle in the manner as defined.”

His argument is clearly BS. The rule does not only require an attempt, it clear as day says "does not use, or attempt". It doesn't say "and". So either does not use, or does not attempt. So even if they attempt, but do not use their arms, it is a shoulder charge.

And then this:

Bellew also said there are two questions for the panel to deliberate on:
1. Was there forceful contact with the shoulder or upper arm? Bellew says if your answer is no, then he is not guilty.
If you answer yes you need to consider:
2. Was the forceful contact made without Slater using or attempting to use both his arms including his hands to tackle or otherwise take hold of the opposing player.

1. Yes there was.

2. BOTH his arms, including his hands. Even if one hand happens to make slight contact, it is not both. Which is why they often talk about in a grabbing motion, trying to wrap up the runner. So yes again, there was forceful contact made, without using both his arms including his hands.

It is 100%, undoubtedly, to the letter of the relevant law, a shoulder charge.

FMD it's so fucking sad that none of us are surprised, that this is what the NRL is, that they dish up this undisputed bullshit and the fans are just expected to buy it.

 

[Morkel]

 

[ivanhungryjak]

 

[Foordy]

we get it NRL ... you are the most amateurish organisation in the sporting world ... you don't need to keep proving it to us

 

[Morkel]

we get it NRL ... you are the most amateurish organisation in the sporting world ... you don't need to keep proving it to us

I keep saying, it's not amateurish. This isn't incompetence. It's fucking corruption.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Rort salary cap by millions and get a slap on the wrist, able to keep their team together and win a premiership 2 years later (why did the storm get to decide what players they lost?!)

Put a player in a wheelchair and they actually had the audacity to play victim

Crusher, chicken wing and cannon ball to name a FEW of the tackles they came up with that put players at serious risk of serious long term injury

Leading with boots in “try saving” tackles or bomb defusions

As broncos fans we have been raped by this club and these players multiple times. The slater try off a scrum when our players got held back? The “drop kick” rule that got dropped after one use? The salary cap years? The “im gonna sign for brisbane” media spin. And, this is a melbourne club right? that has developed how many victorian players in TWENTY YEARS? They continue to be a brisbane club that does nothing for game development in an expansion area outside of winning, when the nrl EVENTUALLY grows some balls and realises they are losing more fans in heartland areas then they are gaining in melbourne by sucking this club off then the storm will stop winning and lets see how many melbourne fans stick around hahaha.. and thats just us, they have done more and worse to other clubs.


At the start of the year the storm and the roosters were struggling when the refs cracked down on the wrestle. Suprise! The nrl drops their nuts to the media and the refs back off and look what teams are now in the gf. Disgrace and boring. The disilusionment from fans is stronger this year then ever.

I hope dylan “i dont have a tackling problem” napa headbutts slater when he “has no choice”...

 

[Number6]

He'll got off but they need to make it look legit and so it will go a while.

Nostradamus or just good at logic. Spot on.

Back to my original statement system is set up to fail. There was never a way for NRL to win this one. Need to change consequences and systems so NRL doesn’t back themselves into this corner where there is no consistent punishment as opposed to consistently enforced ones like fines and community service for minor offences rather than match bans. For me right outcome in Slater playing but terrible process and ultimately very bad look for the game. Intention or not it was a shoulder charge (likely far lower risk than the type the rule was designed for) and need to have some discouragement for it (preferably at the time of the offence - at least a sin bin for foul in try scoring situation).

 

[Dexter]

Why? One player had been killed by a shoulder charge and that is not enough for the NRL to take it seriously, so why is it hysterical to suggest it will take another?

Because they were two completly different tackles.

Id really like for people to declare if they have played at any level before stateing their pov.

Its clear as day to me there is a complete lack of conprehension with some of the arguments being put forward.

 

[Dexter]

You seriously can't see the issues here?

No, one is two players running directly at each other. That is a dog act in that situation the other is two players running in almost the same direction.

I have been consistent in my pov of the tackle and some of the evidence presented is very close to how i viewed it.
All i can say is i agree with the judiciary and disagree with the contrary pov.

For the record i backed the chooks to win the minor premiership and also took 15s to win the title so it was better for me to have Slater gone.

 

[Battler]

I hope Napa and JWH come with their grub boots on this weekend, seems the GF is a one off shoulder charge permitted (so long as you hit them from the side) game before the NRL changes the rules again in the off season. What a joke.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but cmon the Chookies.

 

[broncos4life]

Because they were two completly different tackles.

Id really like for people to declare if they have played at any level before stateing their pov.

Its clear as day to me there is a complete lack of conprehension with some of the arguments being put forward.

So it is a requirement to have played football to have an opinion now is it?

Do you know what I would like, for you to actually state your opinion instead of having pot shots at everyone all the time, that’s what I would like.

 

[Battler]

Rort salary cap by millions and get a slap on the wrist, able to keep their team together and win a premiership 2 years later (why did the storm get to decide what players they lost?!)

Put a player in a wheelchair and they actually had the audacity to play victim

Crusher, chicken wing and cannon ball to name a FEW of the tackles they came up with that put players at serious risk of serious long term injury

Leading with boots in “try saving” tackles or bomb defusions

As broncos fans we have been raped by this club and these players multiple times. The slater try off a scrum when our players got held back? The “drop kick” rule that got dropped after one use? The salary cap years? The “im gonna sign for brisbane” media spin. And, this is a melbourne club right? that has developed how many victorian players in TWENTY YEARS? They continue to be a brisbane club that does nothing for game development in an expansion area outside of winning, when the nrl EVENTUALLY grows some balls and realises they are losing more fans in heartland areas then they are gaining in melbourne by sucking this club off then the storm will stop winning and lets see how many melbourne fans stick around hahaha.. and thats just us, they have done more and worse to other clubs.


At the start of the year the storm and the roosters were struggling when the refs cracked down on the wrestle. Suprise! The nrl drops their nuts to the media and the refs back off and look what teams are now in the gf. Disgrace and boring. The disilusionment from fans is stronger this year then ever.

I hope dylan “i dont have a tackling problem” napa headbutts slater when he “has no choice”...

Imagine a parallel universe where they got done rorting the cap in 2007 and got a harsher penalty. We'd have a comp or two in the bag, Parramatta would have won in 2009 after going on an actual fairytale run (without NRL assistance), and a few more Sydney clubs would have prems which would have boosted the game enormously in NSW.

The storm are just parasitic. I loved watching the Cows fail this year because of the love in they got in 2015 and the bell-end behaviour of their fans since the GF, but at least they produce talent and have a strong support base that sticks by them. When Smith ***** off and the storm are finishing 10th it will be borderline better viewing than us winning the prem.

 

[Super Freak]

Because they were two completly different tackles.

Id really like for people to declare if they have played at any level before stateing their pov.

Its clear as day to me there is a complete lack of conprehension with some of the arguments being put forward.

I have played. Senior level and also interstate. But I don't see why that matters. You don't need to have played to know Rugby League.

I also know a bloke that suffered permanent brain damage as a result of a tackle like Slater's. It doesn't matter if you're running directly at him front-on or from the side, the sheer force of a shoulder charge at full speed can do serious and permanent damage.