Tackling Issues : Tue Apr 01, 2014 6:59 am  

Tackling Issues After learning of the devastating extent of the injury to Alex McKinnon in Australia, I wanted to look at the topic of player safety within our sport. Thankfully, this sort of thing is especially rare in Rugby League but over recent years the issue of player safety has, it seems, arose more frequently than in the years preceding. We have seen the illegalisation of the ‘shoulder charge’, ‘cannonball’ and ‘chicken wing’ tackles over the last few seasons, as well a vast increase in the penalisation for ‘tip tackles’ - putting a player in a dangerous position. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Tackling Issues After learning of the devastating extent of the injury to Alex McKinnon in Australia, I wanted to look at the topic of player safety within our sport. Thankfully, this sort of thing is especially rare in Rugby League but over recent years the issue of player safety has, it seems, arose more frequently than in the years preceding. We have seen the illegalisation of the ‘shoulder charge’, ‘cannonball’ and ‘chicken wing’ tackles over the last few seasons, as well a vast increase in the penalisation for ‘tip tackles’ - putting a player in a dangerous position. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Re: Tackling Issues : Tue Apr 01, 2014 10:02 am  

Firstly , terrible news about McKinnon's injury and good luck to him in his recovery.

Secondly - this new ruling of not tackling below the knee is in part to blame for what happened in my opinion. Rediculous ruling - when somebody is held up top but still driving forward - the way to stopping him is to take his legs - this is totally different to a cannonball tackle.
It is so obvious the difference when somebody wraps up the legs compared to somebody attacking the lower limbs , and therefore could be easily policed by harsh bans on the culprits.

Whilst I don't want to see players injured , I also don't want to see our great game slowed down at the ptb - which possibly would lead to both attackers and defenders being set and having the time to go even harder at each other anyhow.

Re: Tackling Issues : Tue Apr 01, 2014 7:39 pm  

Made me sick to the stomach seeing him go down like that and then seeing his reaction.

Just hope he makes a good speedy recovery.