NRL ignored safety laws in workplace fight

[Rex]

LEADING QC Bernard Gross has accused the NRL of ignoring occupational health and safety laws by charging Manly and Melbourne players who ran from the field or who came off the bench to get involved in last Friday night's brawl at Brookvale Oval.


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[SeaEagleRock8]

It's a fair point, not to mention it goes against what feels like a quite basic instinct to rush to protect a mate.

Gallop knows best. I wish some journo would challenge him about exactly how many 'concerned members of the public' he actually took phone calls from about this crap. As if he would spend his day chatting to the public on the phone, lol.

 

[Shoe1]

Let's face it, we need proper HR departments in league clubs. Footy is an oh&s nightmare! Someone could get hurt out there on the field! The sooner we change the rules to oztag or ultimate frisbee the better. Can someone please commission a 500 page report on this ASAP!

 

[twitchk]

So there is one main point we can take out of this whole week, and maybe even incorporate into our game plan; using ur elbow instead of your fist is completely legal!

 

[mickqld]

I just cannot believe how far the media are prepared to go to sell print on this fiasco. Now we dredge up a QC alleging breaches of O.H & S for godsake. Does it slip any of the ****ing morons minds that we send 34 grown men onto the field in 8 matches each weekend to bash the living **** out of each other for 80 minutes all the while 100,000 spectators and millions of TV viewers cheer every hit, tackle, punch and elbow. Would that not constitute breaches of basic O.H & S rules. **** ME.

 

[Dan]

Battle of the solicitors....

 

[Fluffy]

Footy in general is common assault as well whilst we are putting laws out of context.

if you wanted to apply OH&S legislation then there is no way legally the players could play without wearing gridiron style protective equipment.

 

[Dan]

Footy in general is common assault as well whilst we are putting laws out of context.

if you wanted to apply OH&S legislation then there is no way legally the players could play without wearing gridiron style protective equipment.

Not completely true. Each job has a certain amount of it's own accepted risks and liability, that go outside of the laws. i.e. taking on the job comes with it's own set of risk factors.
Steps are taken to minimize them, but the job still has to be done. Training and the way players are trained is part of the risk reduction steps involved in the contact which is part of this sport

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I think Dan is right Fluffy. It is not common assault if you consent. Mick is also right, the game is to go out and smash the opposition. Still, we don't want them slipping on a banana peel on their way out onto the field. 🙂

 

[Rex]

Where there is a significant risk that can be reduced, the NRL have an OH&S and responsibility to do so. That's quite apart from their responsibilities under negligence, liability and litigation risk management.

It's the same as the moves to have concussed players assessed and rested. Failing to do this could eventually result in litigation and liability nightmares for the NRL. Once again, Gallop appears to have his head in the sand on this issue. What say some footballer (in the NRL or in park footy) goes beserk and just keeps beating someone in the head? If the teammates don't intervene to stop it (for fear of heavy sanctions) there may be permanent injury or even death.

The only players who should have been even considered for the sinbin were Hinchcliff, Lussick, and of course Blair had to go. Why do we have bother having video refs if so obviously wrong a sinbinning can occur as Gift's?

The only players who should have faced potential suspensions were Hinchcliff, Blair, Fully, and Gift. All the others took actions to mitigate risks. But Gallop hysteria took over again and he roped the others in.

 

[Dan]

This is what I was alluding to with my comments in the Manly Daily the other day. It sets a dangerous precedent, and we may end up with players suing players etc