NRL Investigates Benji Head Knocks

[stryker]

They would be run out of town mate…RL players may be a lot of things, but this sort of behaviour would be universally despised.

 

[innsaneink]

10 or 20 to go and scores locked….I can easily see coaches using this to manipulate the scenario...affected player wouldnt have a say in it....13 on 12 too much of an advantage for any coach not to rort it

Agree with Triple B......no simple solution to these problems and easy to rort in this case

 

[tiger4ever]

They lay down for penaltys all the time….rules will always be manipulated by players or coaches to get a advantage.

 

[Tigerdave]

Again milking penalties is one thing, the rort proposed here is something else entirely. Regardless whether a player would have a say in it or not at the time, I can't see him nor his teammates being happy about that sort of maneuver, it would come out in the press and certainly bring the game into disrepute. It well and truly crosses the line when all the governing body is trying to do in this situation is protect players health.

 

[innsaneink]

I dont see the difference dave, a player pretending to be hurt so his goalkicker can get 2 points from a BS penalty which can potentially win a game

Plenty of players play by the rule "Dont show em youre hurt - no matter what ", and forsake a potential penalty offer….but many on the other hand dont mind a bit of acting , as would be the case here imo.

It doesnt have to be widespread and rampant, if it happened once it'd be once too much....but the potential would be there

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I dont see the difference dave, a player pretending to be hurt so his goalkicker can get 2 points from a BS penalty which can potentially win a game

Plenty of players play by the rule "Dont show em youre hurt - no matter what ", and forsake a potential penalty offer….but many on the other hand dont mind a bit of acting , as would be the case here imo.

It doesnt have to be widespread and rampant, if it happened once it'd be once too much....but the potential would be there

Quite simple really… Start penalising/suspending players for simulation. How many times does Bird go down, act like he has a career ending injury only to take the second or third hit up once he has got the penalty?

 

[innsaneink]

Refs arent doctors, how do they determine genuine from BS?

Quite simply, its not quite simple.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

They're not going to catch everyone out, but some make it blatantly obvious.

Start suspending players for it, and the deterrent is there.

 

[innsaneink]

Still cant see how anything could be proved.

Who makes the initial judgement???
Refs?
MRC…12 hours or sometimes more after the game?
You'd need doctors reports, scans etc etc....you cant suspend a player because it looked like he was feigning being stunned dazed by an illegal high shot....or because he played on a minute later

All hell would break loose

 

[Tigerdave]

I see a difference in that the player being told to stay down, pretend to be hurt, will then actually need to leave the field and not participate further and based on current rules would then potentially have to sit out the next game on the pretense of a concussion. I can't see any player wanting to do that.

However, during a finals game or even the grand final, yes maybe then it could be an issue, but will a club be willing to tarnish it's reputation if it's found out that a player faked being concussed? Club boards might be willing to give it a go, but the players and coaching staff? I'm not sure, given what happened to the Storm and Dogs in recent years for cheating, especially the Storm.