Can somebody at the NRL please explain how the use of knees in a “tackle” is suddenly passing muster?
Under normal circumstances I would be following that question by asking whether we need to have a serious injury before action is taken. Surely we don’t require anything beyond the hospitalisation of Sean Russell.
The lack of on-field response to Jayden Campbell’s sliding knees on Russell, was head scratching. When the MRC literally took up the role of his defence representative in explaining why he had no charges to answer, it was completely unacceptable.
That tackle, that contact
Campbell’s other contacts on Shaun Lane and Waqa Blake were indicative of a serious fault in his technique and flagged the potential for future incidents.
Forget the cries of bleeding hearts or accusations of trying to start a witch hunt on Campbell. It’s not about making an individual pay a penalty, it’s about protecting all players.
And we didn’t have to wait long to see the consequence of the round one inaction.
Mitch Moses had already grounded the ball when Sharks centre Jesse Ramien struck him with his knees. If it was examined by the referee or the video official it was surely only a cursory glance.
Seriously, did the Eels players need to put on a stink for on-field action to be taken? Did Eels coaches or officials need to publicly blow up at half time or in the presser for the NRL hierarchy to realise that something needs to be done.
I’m starting to believe that instigating a melee would have been the best way for the Eels players to force the bunker to get involved in any of these incidents. The old push and shove hurts nobody, but it lets the targeted player know the team has his back and it puts the spotlight on whatever caused the ruckus.
My bias towards the Eels has motivated the authoring of this post, but I would be just as concerned watching the unpunished use of knees in any match. The strikes on Eels players over the first two rounds are not the unfortunate consequence of contact sport, they were decisions made to tackle in that manner.
On top of the Jesse Ramien incident, Mitch Moses was targeted heavily by the Sharks players. Pressure was applied whenever he received the ball to kick, and a fine line was walked by Cronulla in that endeavour.
That line was not just crossed, it was obliterated by the hit from Teig Wilton. Moses was already suffering the effects of Ramien’s knee striking his leg, to the extent that he was removed from goal kicking duties. It was a credit to the toughness of the Eels half that he battled through the multitude of collisions to nearly guide the team to victory.
The knee slide technique is asking for trouble
Whilst the Ramien tackle was not in the same category as Campbell’s knees into Russell, the technique of sliding along the ground with knees projecting out from the body has the high likelihood of making unintended, but still dangerous, contact.
Media attention in today’s Telegraph includes Benny Elias expressing his concerns as Moses’ uncle. There are also reports that the Eels are lodging a complaint through the “appropriate channels”.
That’s not necessarily anything new. If the Eels have issues or questions arising from matches they don’t blow up in press conferences, they follow the required procedures.
I hope that attention is paid to any lodged report.
But the focus needs to be on more than the targeting of Moses. The game cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the use of knees in tackles.
Last year, the furore that surrounded the Dylan Brown tackle was massive and the young bloke was condemned for his action. The Roosters were not backward in expressing their opinion and though some media reactions were over the top, Dylan was rightly suspended.
Even as an Eels diehard, I supported the verdict.
Yet, the responses last season have not been replicated in 2022.
Forget that the tackles themselves aren’t similar. They don’t need to be. Using the knees is a dangerous practice, no matter the circumstance, as evident from the long term injury to Russell.
The fact that another incident involving use of the knees has passed by this weekend with barely a mention should be a red flag to all supporters.
And a black mark against NRL processes.
Eels forever!
Sixties
There appears to be a belief that there has to be intent before the MRC lay charges. This is not correct. The charges of reckless and careless exist for what happened to Sean Russell.
On the issue of Mitch being targeted after he kicks the ball, I complained about this last year. It is intentional and I believe that it is being coached.
The reason I gave for it last year is firstly that he is one of the best exponents of the long kicking game in the NRL. Secondly he loves the kick and chase. Hitting him after he has kicked can take his chase out of the game.
Very well noted John.
But with regard to intent, there’s a clear inconsistency. Countless examples exist of players falling into tackles. The tacklers make contact with the head of the ball runner in extremely low positions, often below normal waist level. There is zero intent to connect with the head, and often no issue with technique. Yet they are penalised and charged regardless.
The influence of certain clubs and their connection to NRL HQ really seems to play a part in this issue. Personally found it strange that the media made virtually no comment when the NRL Box was visited at half time and the coach gave an enormous spray at the presser, imagine the uproar if one the non favoured clubs did that. Dylan was guilty in the eyes of the media and consequently the fan base from the get go.
On to the Jayden Campbell knees, the whole commentary was he’s the son of Preston, making his way in the game and he put his hand out prior to the knees into Russell, what was that about other than trying to justify non punishment. Completely ignoring the 2 previous slides into Lane and Blake. That continued on with Laurie Daley and others showing sympathy .Paul Kent made his view known and Slothfield the apologists like Bwaif didn’t agree, surprise factor = zero as Buzz wouldn’t want to upset his lunch mates and Bwaif being an accredited player manager.
I think we understand BA doesn’t believe complaining gets anywhere with the judiciary, but someone needs to protect the club and it’s players. Disgraceful verdicts on the Russell knees and the Moses incidents, the MRC gets more difficult to understand as time progresses.
The “overhaul” of the MRC and the gradings system was pushed through at the last minute before the season started. I said I would view it at work before passing any judgement. Currently I’m not filled with any confidence.
The Sean Russell one is inexplicable. The reasons given for it being acceptable were laughable.With the Moses one, Ramien is a known niggler/retaliator, he didn’t retaliate at all to Moses abusing and pushing at him on the ground, he just looked like a bloke who knew he was guilty. Have referees and bunker been given some type of ‘stop nit picking’ directive? If ever a pass needed a second look, the Nicho Hynes one, even in the split second of real time, looked suss. His body, arm and hand position looked like he could only throw an illegal pass, it was one handed, right handed with no effort at all to shape anything backward because his upper body was pinned by a tackler. He just threw it in the only shape he was being allowed by the tackle. In that circumstance he shouldn’t be afforded any fudge factor.
If the tackle goes wrong it goes wrong – regardless of intent. Both of the knees tackles unquestionably went wrong but there was zero consequence. Zero! In fact the MRC literally spoke in Campbell’s defence. That’s what a defence counsel in a hearing is there to do. It’s beyond a joke.
These incidents and they are nothing that is really new in regards to charges being laid against players from certain clubs and not others.
I was seriously looking forward to the game this year, following on from last year, however! I admit in the games I have watched this year, which naturally have 2 eels games and preseason matches, I have to say that I really am not enjoying much of the games I have seen so far. In fact I am wondering whether or not the signing up to Kayo has been worth it.
There is seriously something in the game this year that I cannot put my finger on it but, for me the game has gone backwards, maybe its also a sign that has a lot of empty seats at matches so far.
What’s the old snarly when things were very much a pansy play?
Hands – Knee’s and bumps a daisy.
What about
“Knees up NRL
Knees up NRL
Great blog. The Billy Slater knee slide seems to have been legalised. Sean Russell’s injury was appalling and a send off offense without doubt. It took years after Terry Fearnley said “don’t retaliate” to realise that putting on a stink is the only answer. Let teams fear us. You knee us or hit us late and we will instantly retaliate. Look at the number of empty seats at every game. The game this year is just dreadful. I would not mind seeing all 13 players going after the next knee instigator. Let the ref send off all 13.
I think there are many Eels supporters frustrated by recent incidents. Maybe if it happens to other clubs we might see some action. Though I hope no player is subjected to being hit late by knees.
It’s not just Mitch. Watching the non-Parra games I noted that other halfbacks are being targeted when they kick. Fines are ridiculous. That along with the sliding knees and cannonball tackles need to be addressed. For each incident the player should be put on report, sin binned then mandatory suspension. Harsh but otherwise I don’t see this type of play going away.
That’s a fair call Shaun. Stop it now before the problem gets bigger.
This is a good post, and a fair article. It is in point of fact impossible to say that careless damage was not caused to sean russel by the knee slide technique employed by J Campbell. Careless tackling techniques or behaviors attract charges at the MRC. This one did not.
Why? It doesnt matter anymore for Parra, as Rusty is gone for awhile…. But imagine, had it been his honor ryan papenhuyzen or the tremendously protected Sam Walker who had been hit, lung punctured, ribs shattered.
Would the out come be the same for the offending player? We all know the player who hits either of the aforementioned would have been out suspended for some time.
So what’s the answer? Two things, BA needs to follow suit with the other top echelon of coaches and make a fair dinkum point of calling this crap out at the pressers. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. After all.
Secondly; the players need to employ the motto of “we take care of our own” – when reedy moses or any of our key little men are targeted the rush in and threat of corporal punishment by our forwards on anyone who dares touch them needs to be made clear.
The opposition dont care about possible suspensions early in the season, and one wrong tackle can end the year and nearly did for mitch on Saturday. A key final or even grand final could be lost if someone is hobbled early, and all the culprit gets is a “on report for that” its too late then.
The push and shove must make a return, and the boys need to make it clear that like when u rough up a rooster or a Melbourne player – if u try that on one of the eels, u take your fate into your own hands.
Steele, I’m thinking I need to get on board with the retaliation aspect. I’m not talking about throwing punches, but jumping in and having enough of a fracas to send a message to the opposition and the officials.
And therein lies the problem for the NRL. If you let this garbage slide and refuse to look after the players, that the players will take matters into their own hands and fans will condone it. And the problem is that we shouldn’t have to consider this type of path.
Yes, i agree. Nothing illegal should be in the retaliation, nor if not needed should punches be thrown. But ice was not 10 feet from moses when teig wilton tried to make Him a paraplegic and He just kept walking.
If thats a grade game, there is a brawl right then and there. Mitch is 850k half back. How much more so should our forwards be making sure hes not taken out illegally?
Push n shove, ref remonstrations and coaches complaints are the only way to get it done in the absence of proper and fairly dispensed action from NRL.
The top teams always do these things; itd time the eels make sure we get our own fair shake of it.
There seems to be a clear message that consequences are minimal if the incident doesn’t “explode” into a melee. If nothing else a blow up draws greater media attention to an incident, but I also want our players to send a message that we aren’t going to cop this garbage. There’s no need for punches, but I’m already over the lack of official protection. Forget Wilton’s minimal post match charge. He could have seriously injured Moses, but Parra get nothing more than a penalty. How a really bad late hit on the legs didn’t draw a sin bin is a disgrace.
The lack of action over Campbell was ridiculously inconsistent. It used to be if your surname was Langer you would get away with an “alfie” (how are your ribs these days Mr Hodgson?) but I expected better after they seemed to draw a line in the sand last year with Dylan.
Choctop, that is exactly why I’ve written this post. It’s only round 2 and we are getting multiple incidents that are allowed to slide by. More injuries are destined to occur unless matters are addressed