Quote ="bewareshadows"Watching the replay again and again. To me the tackler looked like he was going to make a tackle. Had his arms out around the side to complete the tackle. It was not a shoulder charge for mine. There was no leading with the shoulder. It was only for a few inches and it could have been a clash of heads.
Even Russell has said that he thought it was part and parcel of the game. There is a debate to be had about contact with the head, but it's all well and good saying that at zero miles an hour. When you see a player fumble the ball, you have to commit to the tackle. There was nothing about it for me that suggested he was trying to smash his face in.
I'm glad he's alright and there is no way I want a player seriously injured, but serious injury is part of the risk of our game. Just as in any collision sport.The sport serious injuries. Long, Deacon, Ward, Lomax, Mckinnon, are just a few names off the top of my head who have suffered serious injuries.'"
I've never ever heard any rugby league player complain post game. It's just not the done thing. It's considered a sign of weakness.
It was a bad tackle, simply becuase he should not have made it. Russell didn't have the ball and was completely defenceless.
Should have been a red card & should get a few games.
