Crusher Tackles

[Brookie Brawler]

I have watched league pretty religiously for about 25yrs and it really does seem like most of the so-called "crusher" tackles highlighted by video refs and the MRC were unavoidable accidents.

Maybe its just me but I don't remember players being injured in this way prior to the last 4-5yrs.

It seems to me that while the cheating purple scum developed the technique, most of the examples resulting in penalties or suspension are just players staying down to milk the penalty.

Seems too coincidental the recent epidemic since video refs have been butting in.

 

[MissKate]

And it is not one of the most inconsistently penalised tackle right now

 

[Dan]

Knee-jerk league, because they have to think of the kids right?

 

[Killer03]

They need to stop the video ref being able to adjudicate on things like that. If the officials on the field can't see it (and this applies to high tackles) then play on. Now that doesn't mean that the Match Review Committee can't act upon it, definitely they should be able to, so legitimate issues still get picked up, but we stop seeing teams laying down for penalties.

I hate this current trend of players going down like Soccer players, but they are professional players and if other teams are doing it then you would be stupid to penalize yourself and not try and get an advantage as well. But the NRL needs to act on this.

 

[Masked Eagle]

Brandy brought up a good point in the telecast. I've thought that alot of the crushers that are being picked up are accidents but as he said, alot of the head high shots are also accidents but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be penalised. Hadn't really thought about it like that and I'd have to agree with him.

 

[Brissie Kid]

Brandy brought up a good point in the telecast. I've thought that alot of the crushers that are being picked up are accidents but as he said, alot of the head high shots are also accidents but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be penalised. Hadn't really thought about it like that and I'd have to agree with him.

How does penalising accidents stop them happening over and over? It is just the NRL being silly logic. There's no point to a punishment that can't change a behaviour and is doubly dumb when everyone admits they are just accidents of the game.

 

[Snake]

All of the sudden players are grabbing at their heads; it's a learned behaviour. One player does it, then another, then another, and all of the sudden we have an identical exhibition of players grabbing the back of their heads...what a coincidence that it's only just started happening in EVERY SINGLE GAME! These players ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking dives.

 

[bob dylan]

Vautin always did Crushers tackling, he was a lazy bastard in defence.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Brandy brought up a good point in the telecast. I've thought that alot of the crushers that are being picked up are accidents but as he said, alot of the head high shots are also accidents but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be penalised. Hadn't really thought about it like that and I'd have to agree with him.

How does penalising accidents stop them happening over and over? It is just the NRL being silly logic. There's no point to a punishment that can't change a behaviour and is doubly dumb when everyone admits they are just accidents of the game.

Some are accidents, others would come under the heading 'reckless'. In other words, while there may not have been a specific intention to bend an opponents neck, the player has gone in hard over the top when the opponent is in a certain vulnerable position, knowing there is a chance that would occur.

There is a point in penalising that kind of recklessness, because it is something players can control.

 

[Brookie Brawler]

Most of them look accidental rather than reckless, Horo's being one of the few exceptions.

The thing is though I don't remember seeing anyone staying down holding their neck until these tackles started being penalised.

Even when the cheating purple scum first started doing crusher tackles, where they would apply pressure to the head and neck when the tackled player was already on the ground, I don't recall players staying down too often.

I never played the game myself. Does anyone who did remember injuries occurring from this sort of tackle at any level (accidental, reckless or intentionally)?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Take account of the Alex McKinnon factor. Players get sore necks all the time, but pre-Alex wouldn't have thought so much about it. Remember Ritchie when he broke his neck, he went off then actually came back on and kept playing for a while obviously not realising how seriously he was hurt.

Players will be much more alert to possible neck injury now and I think that's only natural.