storm aside, what do you think of the mclean/mckinnon incident

[Eagles2nv]

I don't think there was intent to cause harm in the tackle, and to a large degree it was an unfortunate incident. However...

In the end mclean did lift in the tackle, and im my interpretation of the rules, he should be charged with a lifting charge. I agree that the injury caused should be considered as an aggravating circumstance and I agree with it being referred straight to the judiciary.

I can sympathise this situation has mitigating circustances such as mckinnon trying to roll. But they are mitigating factors, not a reason to be excused.

The big thing for me is, out of respect for Alex, Mclean should not be playing this weekend. The storm should have stood him down until the trial/judiciary is run. I know he has been granted approval to play, but i find it disrespectful.

 

[silvertail]

Disrespectful indeed.

All 3 tacklers contributed to what is a life sentence from playing league again. The media sympathy for Melbourne players is sickening.

All 3 tacklers should get 10 weeks each.

If I was one of the three tacklers, I would happily stand down from duties for the next 10 weeks!

 

[COMMANDER]

Nothing in it and was nothing other than an accident.

Melbourne players should not be charged.

 

[bob dylan]

Legal tackle. No case to answer.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Tragic accident and that's about it!!

 

[Mal Cochrane]

I see a lot of players when they are even slightly lifted they turn their heads to point towards the ground, maybe the thought is to get the penalty.

McCracken did it and it put him out of the game, others do it to (eg: Inglis), and i can;t help but look at this one and say he ducked his own head into the ground. Pointing your head towards the ground is not a natural place for your head to go unless you are mostly vertical.

i don;t mean to be nasty to the kid, the storm players might have got him slightly past the horizontal, but the Knights players was mostly responsible for landing in the awkward position of directly onto his head.

 

[ALinda]

Disrespectful indeed.

All 3 tacklers contributed to what is a life sentence from playing league again. The media sympathy for Melbourne players is sickening.

All 3 tacklers should get 10 weeks each.

If I was one of the three tacklers, I would happily stand down from duties for the next 10 weeks!

Couldn't agree more Silvertail! Absolutely disrespectful and of course its the Storm, and more specifically Bellamy, at fault for having the audacity to even name him.

Yes, all 3 tacklers contributed in some way, so all 3 should be stood down and then appear at the judiciary hearing.

Sorry I can't agree it was an accident. I thought arm between the legs and lifting constitutes a spear tackle, which is illegal....I thought. Also the way they went about it is a reflection of the way they're coached. But I stand to be corrected.

Like others I wish all the very best for Alex's recovery.

 

[Jethro]

I can see wrong from both sides of this situation. Yes I agree with what others have said about three tacklers for dominant tackles and lifting above the horizontal etc and that one man tackles around the legs should be better rewarded and also that the Storm and Bellyache are responsible for wrestle etc in tackles but I can also see that if McKinnon didn't duck his head, the result would have been totally different with him coming out most probably uninjured. He should have been thinking more of self-preservation than trying to get a penalty if that is what he was trying to do by ducking his head down. I know that if it were me, I would rather have full use of my limbs than risk a spinal injury by doing what he did by head ducking.

 

[silvertail]

Ducking is a response trained into players to protect themselves as well, as by some, to attract a penalty.

Either way, they picked him up past the horizontal, drove and the rest is history.

3x 10 weeks equals 30 weeks. Nothing compared to what the poor guy has to suffer.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Thoughtful and passionate post by jbb/james.

Personally I find it too hard to digest just yet, especially while the poor kid is still in a coma (from which everyone seems to assume he will emerge).

The decision to let McLean play this week I'd guess is for the benefit of his own mental state.

Luckily I'm not paid to sort this out so I won't try.

 

[niccipops]

This is a tough one involving two very young men.
I'm not a rule book expert so I can't comment either way on the legalities.
There seemed to be no intent from the young tackler but it certainly looked like a lifting driving tackle that appeared dangerous.
Two parents now have a kid in an induced coma resulting from that tackle.
Tragic for the family.

Another thing, if it was an accident, it was an accident regardless of who the tackler was, whatever his previous record is. If it's an accident when the storm kid did it then it's an accident if JWH or Matai did it.

 

[Chip and Chase]

especially while the poor kid is still in a coma (from which everyone seems to assume he will emerge).

It's a medically induced coma so you'd want to hope he will emerge from it......

 

[wombatgc]

I think the tackle was legal. The tackler didn't put his hands between the legs and lift. He put his hands around the outside of the legs. He doesn't seem to lift the player above the horizontal. The force and actions of the other two tacklers up higher also are relevant. What the player being tackled did is also relevant.

I have to disagree BK. Have a look at the vid......http://youtu.be/W-BmKXU12yE?t=25s

It is an illegal lifting tackle. No one wants to see Maclean rubbed out. God knows the kid will do well to come back mentally from it himself. And after hearing Freddy talking about just how entrenched generations of the McKinnon family are in the game of rugby league...there are no winners here at all.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

C&C - Yeah I know, but there's never any guarantees when someone's anaesthetised, as many of us may know from family experiences. Obviously like everyone I'm hoping of the best but to the extent the injury is to be taken into account (and I have no idea to what extent that is) it might be premature to be deciding any penalty.