2018 Grand Final Melbourne v Roosters

[Tim Sheens]

He charged at Feki with his shoulder and a right arm that would have been about as useful as a Trex arm in affecting any sort of tackle. Ridiculous decision, regardless of the player involved or the magnitude of the game that would have been missed.

 

[WT2K]

Hope napa has his shoulders ready for Sunday.

 

[TIGER]

I didn't see the slightest attempt to make a conventional tackle.

The defense that said the first contact was with the pec, hahaaaa really!!!!
I'm not an expert on anatomy but I'm sure your pec isn't located on your upper arm.

In saying that, i think the shoulder charge ban was brought in to stop those front on collisions where they plant the feet, cock the arm and drive.
So I don't think he deserved to miss the GF for it even though I still think he never attempted to make a tackle, it was more of a bump.

Surely now the NRL have to tweak this rule further, the technicalities around it are ridiculous.

 

[greatodensraven]

Sheesh Billy’s pecs are so big they wrap around his shoulders! Pretty ridiculous decision.

The refs should’ve just sent him to the bin for 10 on the night for a professional foul rather than go through this process & making a further mockery of the judiciary.

At the end of the day wasn’t the shoulder charge ban bought in to stop blokes getting blind-sided & belted with a shoulder? Feki had full view of Billy & could prepare for the impact so even though the tackle was illegal it wasn’t dangerous. Sin bin would’ve been enough I reckon. Maybe the rule needs to be more specific.

In saying that I’m glad Billy is playing. You want the best on show for these big games, just a shame Cronk will likely be a passenger at best.

 

[supercoach]

Great decision, call the tackle what you like, but it was not deserving a suspension.

Billy might be a grub, but he is the best no1 I have seen and I am glad he gets a chance to win a GF in his last game

More importantly it gives Melbourne more hope of beating the Bondi Parasites

 

[Needaname]

Here’s one I’ll put to you.
Now this scenario is despite the ruling tonight I just want to know what the legal outcome of this is.
If Feki kicked the ball down the sideline into the in goal at the instant he was meeting slater and they still collide the same way with the same amount of impact what is the ruling if both players end up on the ground effectively taking each other out?

 

[jirskyr]

Here’s one I’ll put to you.
Now this scenario is despite the ruling tonight I just want to know what the legal outcome of this is.
If Feki kicked the ball down the sideline into the in goal at the instant he was meeting slater and they still collide the same way with the same amount of impact what is the ruling if both players end up on the ground effectively taking each other out?

Still a shoulder-charge against Slater - he was in the motion of making the charge when the football was kicked. If Slater made a legitimate tackle, it would have been fine - simultaneous.

Other thing I'll throw out there - Slater is lucky Feki wasn't hurt. What if Feki had collided with a cameraman or struck the sideboards and fallen unconscious?

 

[Needaname]

Here’s one I’ll put to you.
Now this scenario is despite the ruling tonight I just want to know what the legal outcome of this is.
If Feki kicked the ball down the sideline into the in goal at the instant he was meeting slater and they still collide the same way with the same amount of impact what is the ruling if both players end up on the ground effectively taking each other out?

Still a shoulder-charge against Slater - he was in the motion of making the charge when the football was kicked. If Slater made a legitimate tackle, it would have been fine - simultaneous.

Other thing I'll throw out there - Slater is lucky Feki wasn't hurt. What if Feki had collided with a cameraman or struck the sideboards and fallen unconscious?

Yes lucky he was.

But on your point above. Aren’t you aloud to go shoulder to shoulder to chase/protect a ball?

 

[Danny Blanco]

Go Roosters.

 

[Tim Sheens]

Here’s one I’ll put to you.
Now this scenario is despite the ruling tonight I just want to know what the legal outcome of this is.
If Feki kicked the ball down the sideline into the in goal at the instant he was meeting slater and they still collide the same way with the same amount of impact what is the ruling if both players end up on the ground effectively taking each other out?

Still a shoulder-charge against Slater - he was in the motion of making the charge when the football was kicked. If Slater made a legitimate tackle, it would have been fine - simultaneous.

Other thing I'll throw out there - Slater is lucky Feki wasn't hurt. What if Feki had collided with a cameraman or struck the sideboards and fallen unconscious?

Yes lucky he was.

But on your point above. Aren’t you aloud to go shoulder to shoulder to chase/protect a ball?

Yeah, but not 90 degrees at speed.

 

[Needaname]

Here’s one I’ll put to you.
Now this scenario is despite the ruling tonight I just want to know what the legal outcome of this is.
If Feki kicked the ball down the sideline into the in goal at the instant he was meeting slater and they still collide the same way with the same amount of impact what is the ruling if both players end up on the ground effectively taking each other out?

Still a shoulder-charge against Slater - he was in the motion of making the charge when the football was kicked. If Slater made a legitimate tackle, it would have been fine - simultaneous.

Other thing I'll throw out there - Slater is lucky Feki wasn't hurt. What if Feki had collided with a cameraman or struck the sideboards and fallen unconscious?

Yes lucky he was.

But on your point above. Aren’t you aloud to go shoulder to shoulder to chase/protect a ball?

Yeah, but not 90 degrees at speed.

It’s a bit hard to do and stay on your feet I’d say so it would be a penalty, attacking player taken out without the ball. Fair call.

The way I see the slater tackle is this, he went in to that collision to affect the maximum impact he could. I don’t believe he collided with Feki with his shoulder but I do believe he went into it with the intention to lead with his shoulder. His aim was to knock Feki into touch. Not to sit him on his bum, Slater was not trying to stop his momentum, he was trying to alter his direction of travel.
I believe even with more time slater wouldn’t have made a conventional tackle.
That said. The way it was argued tonight and it was a well prepared argument in defence, they were successful in defining his tackle on Feki as not a shoulder charge. As I said I still believe slater intended to knock him into touch with as much force as he could produce but the way that collision ended up it didn’t look like a shoulder charge. It will be interesting in seeing how any similar incident is ruled in 2019 and onwards. Don’t change the rule, maybe alter the way it is graded as I don’t believe a head high tackle doesn’t carry the same weight.

 

[Geo]

Roosters so I can get another premiers t-shirt to wash the car…

 

[Fade_To_Black]

Hopefully we’ll all get to see Billy receive a fitting final send off on the back of the medi-cab .

I'd drink to that mate!
KO'd by a simultaneous shoulder charge and studs-up boot to the head whilst attempting to score a try :master:

Carn Roosters, make it happen.

 

[Harvey]

He had to be found not guilty. Can’t win the Clive Churchill medal if he doesn’t play.

It’s not the same as the Wally Lewis medal.

 

[eyewonder]

who do I put my hard earned on?
cant back Melbourne because of bellamys arrogance in not coaching the tigers all those years ago .
cant back the roosters as they pinched teddy.

tough decision.

 

[Tiger_Steve]

Go Roosters.

Do you feel dirty Dan after typing those two words?

I understand your sentiment. You can’t stand Melbourne but resorting to cheering for the rorters….........yuk!

 

[jadtiger]

I cant recollect ever feeling so apathetic towards a GF.No matter who wins the code is the loser.
The NRL are destroying the game from within

 

[Muffstar]

Storm for me. Great coach, he makes average players into excellent players.

 

[Danny Blanco]

Go Roosters.

Do you feel dirty Dan after typing those two words?

I understand your sentiment. You can’t stand Melbourne but resorting to cheering for the rorters….........yuk!

I Just got home from the pub before posting, Steve. One thing I love about league is the 'tribal' element - I love it.

I also don't prescribe to the belief that the roosters should lose ('cause Teddy is in the team). Genuinely hope he gets a ring.

 

[voice_of_reason]

I cant recollect ever feeling so apathetic towards a GF.No matter who wins the code is the loser.
The NRL are destroying the game from within

I agree, I'm disappointed the NRL didn't have the jewels to suspend Slater for what was a text book shoulder charge. Like you, I'm totally apathetic towards this GF and will have my one-man protest by not watching.

Time to forego the WT forum until next year - it's been an entertaining winter and I thank the contributors of the site for keeping the dream alive for our team and having a laugh in the process.