22 replies to this topic

[G Las D]

The ARLC has announced the shoulder charge will be banned from all competitions (those under it's jurisdiction) from 2013.

"The Commission has reviewed a detailed report into the shoulder charge and accepted a management recommendation that the increased size of athletes was creating a situation where the shoulder charge could, if maintained, lead to an unacceptable injury risk," the statement read.
NRL general manager of football operations Nathan McGuirk will consult with the game's Competition Committee to finalise proposed rule amendments in relation to the shoulder charge.
The proposed rule amendments will be put before the commission at December's meeting.

[brooza]

Has it been banned or is it a proposal?

I look forward to seeing the aussies getting shoulder charged next October/November having not had any for a year!

[G Las D]

They are going to ban it. They just have to come up with a form of words for the rule book.

[keighley]

Do you not think all rule changes should go to the RLIF for ratification ? This Australian habit of changing the rules of the game without worldwide consultation will end up with two different games.

They did it with interchanges, they did it with two refs, they did it with the corner flag not being in touch thing, now this.

I have no objection to this particular rule change but it should come from the RLIF and then it would apply to all leagues world wide. The game does not belong to Australia, it is a worldwide game.

[G Las D]

Sounds like this one has gone round the world.

In a press release, the ARL said work had already commenced with England's RFL and other member nations of the Rugby League International Federation with a view to extending the move at all levels of the game on an international basis - New Zealand already has a domestic ban in place.

[keighley]

Sounds like this one has gone round the world.

That's all very well but they did it first and then thought about worldwide implications later. They should not be consulting England, or anybody else. It should have gone to the RLIF, been ratified or not and then the game could have changed the rules or left them as they are worldwide.

This one is not that contorversial but suppose they proposed reducing the number of players or the number of tackles before a handover or some other major changes which would radically change the game. Should the rest of the world meekly follow their lead even though there were major objections to it.

There needs to be a strong world governing body deciding these matters. Unilateral actions like this should be prohibited.

[brooza]

This one is not that contorversial

Try asking the players, it seems most are against this move (in the UK at least)

As am I. High shots are already banned, whether by the arm or shoulder. A good shoulder charge should be applauded. A bad shoulder charge should be severely punished

[Stoney100]

Try asking the players, it seems most are against this move (in the UK at least)

As am I. High shots are already banned, whether by the arm or shoulder. A good shoulder charge should be applauded. A bad shoulder charge should be severely punished

Quite a few in Oz against it too:-

http://www.smh.com.a...1120-29o5r.html

[G Las D]

You don't have to ban the shoulder charge, just police the stiff arm disguised as a shoulder charge.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

ARLC are pushing so many fans away from the game and this decision is just another poor one they have made. No real thought has gone in to it at all for me. The Coaches WANT the interchange to go down to 8 or even 6. The ARLC say no and ignore them. The Coaches and players DO NOT WANT the ban- so the ARLC ignore them and pander to a few over the top concerned docs and ban everything! I think crowds on TV and at games will be down this year due to the decisions of the ARLC.

[G Las D]

The RFL Laws Committee has elected not to outlaw shoulder charges for domestic competitions until the Rugby League International Federation concludes its own consultation on the use of the technique.
The NRL in Australia has banned the shoulder charge from 2013 but the technique remains legal under International Rules and will continue to be allowed in all RFL-run competitions, including the Super League, Championships, Challenge Cup and community leagues, pending the completion of the RLIF consultation process

Looks like the British game needs to be convinced that the banning of the shoulder charge has any merit.

[DiddyDave]

I think the hit that Greg Inglis put on Dean Young was the final straw for the powers that be in Australia. Young didn`t see it coming and it was a bad one,so it`s only a matter of time before somebody`s goung to get very badly hurt or even killed if they don`t do something about and I for one won`t be sad to see it go. The physical size of some of these blokes nowadays is the telling factor and they`re only going to get bigger. Sure,there`s always been big blokes in the game,but they`ve never been as fit or bulked up as they are today,so as I say,the NRL really had no choice.

[brooza]

I think the hit that Greg Inglis put on Dean Young was the final straw for the powers that be in Australia. Young didn`t see it coming and it was a bad one,so it`s only a matter of time before somebody`s goung to get very badly hurt or even killed if they don`t do something about and I for one won`t be sad to see it go. The physical size of some of these blokes nowadays is the telling factor and they`re only going to get bigger. Sure,there`s always been big blokes in the game,but they`ve never been as fit or bulked up as they are today,so as I say,the NRL really had no choice.

They could police the existing laws more effectively

[DiddyDave]

But the shoulder charge/hit is such a grey area and that`s the problem. Some refs will let it go,but then the inevitable video that follows seconds later,will show the accidental/deliberate connection to the head no matter how slight,and that`s the problem. Players who get concussed are now not allowed to play any more part in the game and coaches,quite rightly,say why should they be penalised for something the opposition has done. No,let`s get rid,then we all know where we stand.

[G Las D]

Well. I see it's taken about three months, but after earlier this week announcing that the shoulder charge would be banned from the WCC game and other international games, the RFL has today fallen in line with the NRL and banned the shoulder charge from domestic competitions.

Following the Rugby League International Federation’s decision earlier this week to immediately outlaw the shoulder charge from the International Laws of the Game, the RFL has banned the shoulder charge from all domestic competitions with immediate effect.

As in Australia opinions of fans are likely to be divided on this. Having said that the rules really need to be the same the world over for the code.

According to Wigan Today@s online site:

The NRL triggered the move by banning the shoulder charge several months ago.
And recent incidents in Super League of head-high challenges – especially by Castleford’s Rangi Chase and Catalan’s Julian Bousquet – have put the debate under sharper focus.

[DiddyDave]

Well there you go then,common sense has finally prevailed. Looking forward to another top season now,two more weeks and it`s all on,Roosters v Bunnies,should be a cracker!!

[bobbruce]

So is the shoulder charge banned or not. I'm watching the bulldogs v eels game and the try just before halftime has come from what forme was a Chris Sandow shoulder charge.

[G Las D]

All we ask for is consistency!

[Southstander13]

So is the shoulder charge banned or not. I'm watching the bulldogs v eels game and the try just before halftime has come from what forme was a Chris Sandow shoulder charge.

I thought that was a shoulder charge too, Sandow did one in the Eels first match against the Warriors too but no one seemed to notice! Very similar to yesterdays in that the player was already "tackled" but definitely no attempt to wrap the arms round.

[DiddyDave]

Have to say I told you so,re Richie Fa`aoso`s late shoulder charge on Ashley Harrison on Saturday night in the Gold Coast/Manly game. Harrison never saw it coming,it was a real cheap shot as he`d already passed the ball and the subsequent clash of heads after the hit put Harrison to sleep for over ten minutes resulting in the Titans having one man short for the remainder of the game (about 50 minutes). Fa`aoso will get at least four matches for this cowardly hit,the game just doesn`t need it,though Manly coach,Geoff Toovey,thought it was more of an accident. Yeah,right!!