Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Posted this in News yesterday arvo but it aint here so here it is
Manly U/20s player Birrigan Young dislocates shoulder after being driven into turf in spear tackle
  * By Dean Ritchie
  * From: The Daily Telegraph
Warriors Toyota Cup players John Palavi and Sebastine Ikahihifo charged over spear tackle on Manly's...
VIDEO . > http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/manly-u20s-player-birrigan-young-dislocates-shoulders-after-being-driven-into-turf-in-spear-tackle/story-e6frexnr-1225850699531
MANLY'S Toyota Cup coach David Penna has played and watched footy for more than 30 years, but says the spear tackle he saw last weekend is the worst he's seen in a long time.
"You've never seen anything like it," Penna told The Daily Telegraph.
It occurred in the 22nd minute of Sunday's Toyota Cup under-20s match between Manly and the New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium. The NRL match review committee yesterday charged two Warriors players, lock John Palavi and interchange player Sebastine Ikahihifo, with a grade five dangerous throws - the harshest penalty other than an offence being referred directly to the judiciary.
Palavi and Ikahihifo each face nine-match suspensions but will get off with six-week bans if they plead guilty as expected. They were not sent off.
The injured Manly player, front-rower Birrigan Young, somehow avoided a neck injury but did suffer a dislocated shoulder. He will be out for a minimum of eight games but could miss the rest of the season.
Penna, a former Parramatta star, was amazed Young was not more seriously injured.
Bulldogs blogs: Dean Ritchie predicts the NRL top eight. See if you agree
"It initially looked like he [Young] did his neck. He is a big kid, about six feet two," Penna said.
"It was so awkward the way he fell on his neck and shoulder. It was head first and pretty ugly. There were two in the original tackle and then two more [Palavi and Ikahihifo] joined in. They each grabbed a leg and drove him into the ground head-first."
Penna said a long suspension of the two Kiwis was justified.
"Someone asked me after the game and I said it was a bad one," Penna said. "I thought six weeks but with the freeze frames, it obviously looks worse. It is a shame for the kid. He is only new to the club."
Warriors assistant coach and last year's Toyota Cup coach Tony Iro said there was no malice in the tackle.
"I coached both players last year and they are not dirty players," said Iro, who once played for Manly. "It was one of those tackles that just went horribly wrong.
"Our players know the full repercussions of these tackles. The Manly boy stood up in the tackle and our blokes unfortunately happened to grab a leg at the same time in trying to get him to the ground. It wasn't a nice look at all."
Manly yesterday did not want Young interviewed.
"I don't think it was intentional," said club CEO Graham Lowe.
"It all happened so quickly. It looked horrifying but I think the two Warriors players' inexperience showed through."
Manly U/20s player Birrigan Young dislocates shoulder after being driven into turf in spear tackle
  * By Dean Ritchie
  * From: The Daily Telegraph
Warriors Toyota Cup players John Palavi and Sebastine Ikahihifo charged over spear tackle on Manly's...
VIDEO . > http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/manly-u20s-player-birrigan-young-dislocates-shoulders-after-being-driven-into-turf-in-spear-tackle/story-e6frexnr-1225850699531
MANLY'S Toyota Cup coach David Penna has played and watched footy for more than 30 years, but says the spear tackle he saw last weekend is the worst he's seen in a long time.
"You've never seen anything like it," Penna told The Daily Telegraph.
It occurred in the 22nd minute of Sunday's Toyota Cup under-20s match between Manly and the New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium. The NRL match review committee yesterday charged two Warriors players, lock John Palavi and interchange player Sebastine Ikahihifo, with a grade five dangerous throws - the harshest penalty other than an offence being referred directly to the judiciary.
Palavi and Ikahihifo each face nine-match suspensions but will get off with six-week bans if they plead guilty as expected. They were not sent off.
The injured Manly player, front-rower Birrigan Young, somehow avoided a neck injury but did suffer a dislocated shoulder. He will be out for a minimum of eight games but could miss the rest of the season.
Penna, a former Parramatta star, was amazed Young was not more seriously injured.
Bulldogs blogs: Dean Ritchie predicts the NRL top eight. See if you agree
"It initially looked like he [Young] did his neck. He is a big kid, about six feet two," Penna said.
"It was so awkward the way he fell on his neck and shoulder. It was head first and pretty ugly. There were two in the original tackle and then two more [Palavi and Ikahihifo] joined in. They each grabbed a leg and drove him into the ground head-first."
Penna said a long suspension of the two Kiwis was justified.
"Someone asked me after the game and I said it was a bad one," Penna said. "I thought six weeks but with the freeze frames, it obviously looks worse. It is a shame for the kid. He is only new to the club."
Warriors assistant coach and last year's Toyota Cup coach Tony Iro said there was no malice in the tackle.
"I coached both players last year and they are not dirty players," said Iro, who once played for Manly. "It was one of those tackles that just went horribly wrong.
"Our players know the full repercussions of these tackles. The Manly boy stood up in the tackle and our blokes unfortunately happened to grab a leg at the same time in trying to get him to the ground. It wasn't a nice look at all."
Manly yesterday did not want Young interviewed.
"I don't think it was intentional," said club CEO Graham Lowe.
"It all happened so quickly. It looked horrifying but I think the two Warriors players' inexperience showed through."
