Billy Slater will play in the 2018 GF!

[Wolfmother]

A disgraceful decision..he met all the requirements of a shoulder charge as outlined in the 2017 NRL updated laws.. it’s got nothing to do whether he hurt anybody.. It’s the fact that he blantly broke the rules and he got off.. and just to note..how the committee believed he was trying to wrap his arms around Feki is beyond belief.. He was side on clutching at air.. Honestly they should just lift the ban on the shoulder charge now because if this isn’t one I don’t know what is!

If I was speeding down the street but didn't crash my car into pedestrians should I get the same penalty as someone who speeds down the street and kills someone?

 

[Mr 95%]

If I was speeding down the street but didn't crash my car into pedestrians should I get the same penalty as someone who speeds down the street and kills someone?

Wolfy Slater clearly met each of the updated NRL 2017 criteria for the shoulder charge..and as such he deserves the punishment that is associated with that offence..which is a one game suspension..doesn’t matter if he didn’t hurt anyone..he broke those particular rules..that’s the point I’m making..As for your comparison with speeding..each has a different criteria considering the outcome and a different punishment is enforced..

And you know Wolfy our mate Ennis thinks he should’ve been suspended too..

 

[CaptainJackson]

It's unbelievable that the excuse that Slater watched all of Feki's tries before the game and noted that Feki ran for the corner while this time Feki changed direction.

What a load of garbage

 

[haz123]

It's unbelievable that the excuse that Slater watched all of Feki's tries before the game and noted that Feki ran for the corner while this time Feki changed direction.

What a load of garbage

I knew it was Feki's fault why the fuck didn't he pre warn Slater that he was going to step?
The fucking hide of him should suspend him instead .

 

[GoTheDoggies]

The only people salty over this are those who put money on the Rorters to win.

 

[MatstaDogg]

The only people salty over this are those who put money on the Rorters to win.

Or people who just hate the ****, like me.

 

[Wolfmother]

Wolfy Slater clearly met each of the updated NRL 2017 criteria for the shoulder charge..and as such he deserves the punishment that is associated with that offence..which is a one game suspension..doesn’t matter if he didn’t hurt anyone..he broke those particular rules..that’s the point I’m making..As for your comparison with speeding..each has a different criteria considering the outcome and a different punishment is enforced..

And you know Wolfy our mate Ennis thinks he should’ve been suspended too..

Hahaha if Ennis thinks Slater should be banned then it would be our first fight.

Missing a game is different to missing the Grand Final.
Missing the Grand Final where it's your last ever game is a lot different from missing a game where you can get back into it the following week. The penalty is therefore a greater punishment for Slater .

The beauty of having a judiciary is it takes in every aspect of the situation before deciding.

If we automatically suspended players everytime they broke a rule then we're no better than machines but we're not machines we are people who are capable of assessing situations by using perspective.

 

[haz123]

Hahaha if Ennis thinks Slater should be banned then it would be our first fight.

Missing a game is different to missing the Grand Final.
Missing the Grand Final where it's your last ever game is a lot different from missing a game where you can get back into it the following week. The penalty is therefore a greater punishment for Slater .

The beauty of having a judiciary is it takes in every aspect of the situation before deciding.

If we automatically suspended players everytime they broke a rule then we're no better than machines but we're not machines we are people who are capable of assessing situations by using perspective.

So where do we stop no bans prior to origin or the semi's or anzac day game or good Friday? I see what your saying but hey dont do it and no chance of suspension easy.

 

[Sir Col 'The Mushroom']

So where do we stop no bans prior to origin or the semi's or anzac day game or good Friday? I see what your saying but hey dont do it and no chance of suspension easy.

This decision signals the return of the shoulder charge - pure and simple.
Wolfy you are a great person but I think you are running on emotion and sentiment instead of being objective. Still luvs ya tho

 

[haz123]

If I was speeding down the street but didn't crash my car into pedestrians should I get the same penalty as someone who speeds down the street and kills someone?

Same as before dont speed (break a rule/law) no issue, I really do see what your trying to say and in a funny way sort of makes sense, but why have rules if they can be manipulated to suit a situation or individual?

 

[Mr 95%]

Hahaha if Ennis thinks Slater should be banned then it would be our first fight.

Missing a game is different to missing the Grand Final.
Missing the Grand Final where it's your last ever game is a lot different from missing a game where you can get back into it the following week. The penalty is therefore a greater punishment for Slater .

The beauty of having a judiciary is it takes in every aspect of the situation before deciding.

If we automatically suspended players everytime they broke a rule then we're no better than machines but we're not machines we are people who are capable of assessing situations by using perspective.

Lol about Ennis..Wolfy if the ‘importance’ of the game was the issue than it would’ve been part of Slater’s argument..it wasn’t..because it is not in the rules..The judiciary is a good thing..every player deserves a chance to defend themselves..when it makes a fair and justifiable decision..all it did was..in this case..create confusion..as Slater clearly broke the rules..yet the penalty was dismissed... How the committee accepted that he attempted to wrap his arms around Feki is beyond belief.. His whole testimony about watching Feki score every try..and watching his eye movement..and the step and elbow..and Slater’s 33/km running speed..Heck as someone said it wouldn’t be a surprise if they turned around and suspended Feki for a shoulder charge!Lol!

 

[Wolfmother]

This decision signals the return of the shoulder charge - pure and simple.
Wolfy you are a great person but I think you are running on emotion and sentiment instead of being objective. Still luvs ya tho

Lol Love the passive aggressive response
I know my way of thinking might come across as emotionally based but it's not.. I absolutely detest Beauracracy, it's lazy, it's defies common sense it favours the rich and therefore is partial and unfair..

How is it right that a fine is the same for a millionaire as it is for a pauper?

 

[Wolfmother]

Lol about Ennis..Wolfy if the ‘importance’ of the game was the issue than it would’ve been part of Slater’s argument..it wasn’t..because it is not in the rules..The judiciary is a good thing..every player deserves a chance to defend themselves..when it makes a fair and justifiable decision..all it did was..in this case..create confusion..as Slater clearly broke the rules..yet the penalty was dismissed... How the committee accepted that he attempted to wrap his arms around Feki is beyond belief.. His whole testimony about watching Feki score every try..and watching his eye movement..and the step and elbow..and Slater’s 33/km running speed..Heck as someone said it wouldn’t be a surprise if they turned around and suspended Feki for a shoulder charge!Lol!

If I was Billy Slater's lawyer I would've pleaded guilty but used the argument that he's been let off for worse.. I don't know!

I think if you look at it the other way around .. Where he got a one game ban for a harmless shoulder charge (in this instance) it would have been Beauracracy at it's best..At the end of the day it's not a crime against humanity it's a game, it's showbiz, it's entertainment ..so they can afford a bit of leeway

 

[Wolfmother]

So where do we stop no bans prior to origin or the semi's or anzac day game or good Friday? I see what your saying but hey dont do it and no chance of suspension easy.

I always think that if it's your last game ever.. Whats stopping someone from Shoulder charging , spear tackling etc..

 

[haz123]

I always think that if it's your last game ever.. Whats stopping someone from Shoulder charging , spear tackling etc..

Fair point we just might find out tomorrow, Bilby Slater has nothing to loose and if needed you can bet he will do it all again .
Same as if I was going to die tomorrow it probably won't effect me if I murder someone today I mean what can they do to me. In NRL terms maybe a fine if suspension not a viable option.

 

[Mr 95%]

If I was Billy Slater's lawyer I would've pleaded guilty but used the argument that he's been let off for worse.. I don't know!

I think if you look at it the other way around .. Where he got a one game ban for a harmless shoulder charge (in this instance) it would have been Beauracracy at it's best..At the end of the day it's not a crime against humanity it's a game, it's showbiz, it's entertainment ..so they can afford a bit of leeway

No it’s not a crime against humanity..but it is against the rules..

Check this out Wolfy by Paul Kent..I know most people here don’t like him..but he’s pretty much spot on here..

Billy Slater sold his best ever dummy at the NRL judiciary
Paul Kent, The Daily Telegraph
September 29, 2018 6:55am


BILLY Slater plays on Sunday because the argument got splintered at every level and the NRL lacked either the smarts or fortitude to intelligently present their case.

Slater’s presence in the grand final is great for the short term future of the game but offers a worry for its long term future.

At no point during the week, among all the debate, was there a clear strong voice from the NRL that cut through the irrelevant and misleading argument.

The narrative splintered and changed at every level.

Yet still the NRL was unable to defend it.

The confusing arguments that helped to get Slater off began with an argument that basically conceded it was a shoulder charge but was argued with a question: how else was he supposed to stop a try?

Nobody bothered to argue that if Slater really did have no other option then, perhaps, it was defensive error in the lead-up and Sosaia Feki deserved to score in the corner.

Quickly the argument then changed to whether that tackle was worthy of missing a grand final.

Much of it was understandable, if misguided. It was coming from those who had close personal relationships with Slater.

Once Slater was charged the posts needed to be moved again so argument began about the charge and whether the judiciary panel, faced with actually making the decision, should apply the “common sense” rule.

This rule was twisted to support the argument that Slater had done a lot for the game and should not be rubbed out of his final game, a grand final at that, for a shoulder charge when three years ago shoulder charges were okay. And how else was he supposed to stop a try, anyway?

Few picked up the absurdity that the common sense defence actually runs in defiance of actual common sense, which is that a rule is a rule and that Slater knew the rules and the minimum punishment before he made the shoulder charge.

It went to another level once the hearing began, though.

At no point was there a clear strong voice from the NRL about why the shoulder charge needs to be vigorously defended

Instead, it was as if the NRL was keeping one eye on Slater and the other on ticket sales.

Slater prepared meticulously for the hearing and seems to have gambled the judiciary prosecutor was not as diligent.

Then he pulled a masterstroke, standing and addressing the tribunal himself.

“I watched every try of both their wingers throughout the in the build up to the game,” Slater said. “I noticed Feki had scored eight tries by pinging for the corner. I knew he liked to back himself.

“I realised Sosaia was 10 metres from the corner post. My intention was to make a ball and all tackle. “I’m intending to get my body in front of Feki between the try-line.

“But he stepped of his left foot and I’m running at 33kph and I’ve got two metres to make a decision.”

It was compelling.

It was persuasive.

And it was false.

Not once in the eight tries Feki scored this season did the cover defence come across in front of him like Slater did.

Seems nobody bothered to check.

Feki’s first try came round two against St George Illawarra. He got the ball in space and Jason Nightingale came across in cover and Feki headed straight for the tryline. Nightingale hit him around the hips, slightly from behind.

His second and third tries were against Parramatta. The first he strolled in, bringing the ball around slightly to improve the position. No pinging required.

The third he went for the corner, slightly high and similar to the Slater incident, but the defence was further away than Slater and Parramatta could get only an arm to him.

The fourth, against Canberra, Feki pinned his ears and went for the corner. As the cover defence loomed he got ankle tapped and stumbled on his last step, falling over the tryline.

A smart prosecutor could have argued that while there are instances of Feki “pinning his ears” and jamming for the corner, none mirrored the circumstances of last week.

According to his own testimony, Slater was well enough in front of Feki that it was his left pectoral muscle that made first contact.

The fifth try against Newcastle had similarities to the Slater tackle. Feki went for the corner while Shaun Kenny-Dowall tried to push him into touch.

Kenny-Dowall was not close enough to get body contact and, again, was coming from behind.

His sixth and seventh tries came against Canterbury in the final round.

The sixth was against a dirty defence, the Bulldogs scrambling to shut Cronulla down. Feki got the ball with limited space and dived over in the corner. There was no option to step infield.

The seventh was the opposite. Feki got the ball 30m out and had clear air all the way to the tryline and brought it around to improve the grounding.

He caught the ball behind him for his eighth and final of the season against the Sydney Roosters in the first week of the playoffs. It forced him to spin away from the defence and then dive in the corner.

Crucially, in not one of those tries does Feki have a cover defender coming across from in front — essentially negating Slater’s evidence about all eight tries.

But it was allowed to go untested.

This part of Slater’s defence was so compelling.

It detailed the knowledge Slater was supposed to have ready for instant recall in the moments before the Feki tackle to explain why he took the only option, supposedly, there was left to take.

In reality, in all eight tries Feki did what every other good winger in the competition does, which was adapt to the defence. No difference.

In not one of the others was there a cover defender coming across in front of Feki.

Slater argued he believed Feki was gearing up to step inside him. The evidence being Feki stepping off his left foot to slightly change position before impact.

These are the two metres Slater spoke of.

A more vigorous prosecution could have rebutted Slater’s assessment by arguing Feki saw Slater coming across in front of him and was simply preparing for impact by changing his centre of balance.

That Feki did in fact do what Slater studied him to do, which was go for the corner.

The Slater case split the rugby league community. Each side fiercely holds position.

There is a feeling Slater pulled off another miracle save.

And rather than his appearance in the grand final being a good result for the game, as the early narrative went, the opposite is now true.

 

[Sir Col 'The Mushroom']

Lol Love the passive aggressive response
I know my way of thinking might come across as emotionally based but it's not.. I absolutely detest Beauracracy, it's lazy, it's defies common sense it favours the rich and therefore is partial and unfair..

How is it right that a fine is the same for a millionaire as it is for a pauper?

ME passive aggressive?
Nah - nothing passive about me when I get aggressive lol People tend to miss my demented attempts at sarcasm, twisted humour or just dementedness.
Did I understand this correctly? "How is it right that a fine is the same for a millionaire as it is for a pauper"
When did this start happening? Millionaire normally get let off with nothing more than a severe slap on the wrist with a feather while the papuers normally cop a massive fine or incarceration.
Certainly agree about Buttockracy and the imbalance it works under.
Still luvs ya tho - you're a good kid. hehe. (Now is that passive condescending or something else?)
IS IT CHRISTMAS YET?
*Secret message to everyone else - please don't show this to Wolfy - how come I am always getting my self into trouble?*

 

[Mr 95%]

Well I guess in the end Slater got the worst punishment of all..I wonder if he would’ve perfered to sit that one out..

 

[Wolfmother]

ME passive aggressive?
Nah - nothing passive about me when I get aggressive lol People tend to miss my demented attempts at sarcasm, twisted humour or just dementedness.
Did I understand this correctly? "How is it right that a fine is the same for a millionaire as it is for a pauper"
When did this start happening? Millionaire normally get let off with nothing more than a severe slap on the wrist with a feather while the papuers normally cop a massive fine or incarceration.
Certainly agree about Buttockracy and the imbalance it works under.
Still luvs ya tho - you're a good kid. hehe. (Now is that passive condescending or something else?)
IS IT CHRISTMAS YET?
*Secret message to everyone else - please don't show this to Wolfy - how come I am always getting my self into trouble?*

Haha you're not aggressive you're a big softy

 

[Wolfmother]

Well I guess in the end Slater got the worst punishment of all..I wonder if he would’ve perfered to sit that one out..

Hmm well at least we can look at the Nrl and say for once it wasn't rigged.

In all fairness and without using my great argument Slater did technically put an arm out which makes the shoulder charge null n void