In this episode we discuss Sam Burgess’ comments about the match review committee and the NRL judiciary. We talk about the ramifications of his comments, we look at his record over the 2019 NRL season, we talk about the systems in place, and why the current system is by far and away the best one…
As a huge James Tedesco fan I was really saddened to see him injured on the weekend. He is such an exciting player to watch and to see him taken from the field with a broken jaw was terrible. A broken jaw is one of those extra rotten injuries. Players that have suffered a broken…
The Rugby Football League have suspended Wigan forward Ben Flower for 6 months for his vicious assault on St Helens playmaker Lance Hohaia in the opening minutes of the 2014 Super League Grand Final. The majority of this 6 month suspension will be served during the off season, meaning Flower looks like he will miss,…
Ben Flowers vicious attack on Lance Hohaia in the 2014 Super League Grand Final is the most vicious, cowardly act I have ever seen on a Rugby League field in all my life. That Flower was sent off just two minutes into the biggest game of the year, without hesitation, says it all about how…
News recently broke that Cowboys enforced Tariq Sims has been slapped with a five week ban following his shoulder charge, off the ball, on Broncos star Justin Hodges from Saturday Night. Although there have been some calls from the far North that the ban was far too harsh, I for one am glad the NRL…
The Daily Telegraph is reporting that a photograph by Gregg Porteous shows Manly Sea Eagles forward Josh Starling allegedly eye gouging South Sydney forward Dave Tyrrell. Take a look at the photo and see what you think: The picture looks pretty damning but I think you have to be very careful when it comes to…
English Rugby League captain Kevin Sinfield will receive a length and well deserves ban after viciously headbutting a helpless and defenseless Castleford Tigers player Luke Dorn in a 24 all draw in between the two clubs. Here is footage of the incident: Seriously, he could have been killed! In an era of the game when…
Earlier this afternoon the Newcastle Knights posted a statement in response to the seven week suspension handed out to Melbourne youngster Jordan McLean last night. For those who haven’t read it yet: “The Newcastle Knights is frustrated with the inconsistencies in relation to the NRL Judiciary following Jordan McLean’s seven-week suspension. Firstly, the Club takes…
The NRL Judiciary has found Jordan McLean guilty of a dangerous tackle on Newcastle Knights forward Alex McKinnon. McLean has been suspended for 7 weeks. The judiciary panel was told not to consider the resulting injury from the tackle when deciding whether McLean was guilty or not guilty. Once they had returned a guilty verdict…
Manly Sea Eagles back rower Glenn Stewart is free to play in the 2013 Grand Final despite being charged for a high tackle on Sam Burgess in the Sea Eagles semi final win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Stewart was charged with a grade one careless high tackle which carries a 75 point penalty. With…
Anthony Watts has been handed an 8 game suspension for biting an opposition player on the penis. Video footage of the incident didn’t show the actually moment of mastication but it did show the opposition player reeling away, checking he still had his frank and beans, and then later taking down his shorts to show…
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has been suspended for his forearm to the face of South Sydney forward Chris McQueen and will miss this weeks finals match against the Manly Sea Eagles. The Roosters were going with a “self defense” defense heading into the judiciary hearing. It didn’t go down too well as the judiciary members only took…
It was rotten to see Ray Thompson holding his broken jaw together as he left the field on Saturday night. While the North Queensland Cowboys beat the Newcastle Knights 26-6, all thoughts were with Thompson after suffering the shocking injury that will most likely see him miss the rest of the season. Newcastle Knights forward…
It is going to be very difficult for Sonny Bill Williams to avoid being suspend for a high shot on Willie Mason that occurred in the Roosters 28-12 win over the Newcastle Knights. The shot he put on Mason was high and hard. It was enough to stun Mason and it was put on report…
On face value, it is hard to argue against the original intent of banning shoulder charges. The NRL came out with statistics that showed that, while shoulder charge’s made up a very small percentage of overall tackles made, the amount of concussions and injuries that come out of shoulder charges were very high. I hated…
Because a knee jerk reaction from the NRL has seen an issue (fighting) that was under control blow up to dominate discussion in the game, it has allowed crazies to come out of the woodwork and put forward ideas that do not pass the ten second test. What is the ten second test? Well if…
Canterbury Bulldogs fullback Ben Barba has been charged by the NRL Match Review Committee with Grade 1 Dangerous Contact – Unnecessary Use of Knees. Barba will avoid suspension if he decides to take the early guilty please. If he chooses to fight the charge and loses, he would face a one match suspension. Barba was…
South Sydney coach Michael Maguire has come out and stated that he believes Greg Inglis has been targeted by defenses To this I say “Ah Duh!!!” Manly’s Richard Fa’aoso is serving an 8 week ban for 2 separate spear tackles on the South Sydney ace but this is not the first time this season Inglis has…
First up let me say that Sam Thaiday had EVERY right to blow up over the decision to award Billy Slater a try last Friday Night but he had NO right to touch a referee in his protest. One of the first rules you are taught as a child in any sport is respect the…
Week one of the finals season was sensational, it was one of the best opening weekends of a finals series I can remember. I enjoyed every single game and in week two of the finals, I think we are in for more of the game. Can the Bunnies rebound after a terrible performance? Will the…
The NRL came out yesterday with a curious announcement that, one week out from the finals, it would send any shoulder charge that made contact with a players head or neck straight to the judiciary without any grading. This process is usually what happens with the most extreme cases of foul play and usually results…
Let me start off by saying I love rugby league. Love it so much that it leaves me wanting to tear out another handful of hair or kick the nearest small child sometimes. This week, it’s the judiciary that needs our help. Like many things these days, the NRL judiciary system has become over-complicated to…
When Ben Te’o blasted Matthew Groat last Friday night and knocked him unconscious, I knew what was to follow. Pure hysteria, stupidity and talk of an unfair playing field. The NRL came out just a few days ago to reassure everyone that the shoulder charge was here to stay. That didn’t stop the media from…
I’m looking at Rugby League on a world wide basis, and I can not for the life of me understand why the RFL has any influence on the decision making process at international level. The RFL and its shambolic track record. An organization that can not even properly administer its own tiny little club competition….
Think of this as a conspiracy theory that has a lot of pieces that fit very neatly into place… I wrote yesterday about Mal Meninga’s Ignorant Rant against everyone and everything from New South Wales. His article titled Queensland’s triumph a victory over the dirty rats of Origin was full of venom, and its got him in a lot…
Australian Test selectors have made few changes to the team beaten in last year World Cup Final. The team that wasn’t good enough will be given a chance to get some sort of false redemption against the World Champion New Zealand Rugby League team in Friday night in Sydney. New Zealand have made a few…
Brett White has not be charged by the NRL judiciary over a forearm to the head of Sharks prop Ben Ross on the weekend. The media talked up the two players clashing all week, and as soon as Ross looked to be in trouble after the White charge, you knew the media would try and…
This weekend sees the return of Broncos dangerous centre Justin Hodges after his 6 week suspension for a dangerous throw on Eels hooker Mark Riddell. It is on the issue of these lengthy suspensions that I take issue. The matter has been brought to my attention in particular by the recent long suspensions dished out…
This week NZRL chairmen Andrew Chalmers has launched another scathing attack on the British judicial system. What’s he whinging about? I mean, it’s not like this is anything new. Any Super league fan that has followed the game more than 5 minutes will tell you our judicial system is an inconsistent farce and appears to…
The Rugby Football League has always been soft on things like gambling, drugs use and illegal play, and once again this week the English governing body has turned the game into a laughing stock. In the last 7 days we have see 3 of the worst head high tackles in International football in recent memory,…