Opinion Hetherington and Thompson vs Latrell…

[D.O.W.]

Let’s be very f###ing honest @NRL, if Hetho or Thommo did what Latrell did last night, intent or no intent, it would have been a straight send off (not a sin bin) and a 8-10 week suspension. Gould was spot on when he said if Manu didn’t get agitated (and it took him two goes before it actually drew attention), there’s a strong chance the incident wouldn’t have even drawn a penalty.. what game are they (Ash Klein as the lead ref and Henry Perenara managing the Bunker) watching???

Contact to the head with force has been atrociously policed since Magic round, it is a lottery, no one knows which way it’s going to go. From magic round, supposedly the game changer for player safety, it’s gone from a sin bin for contact to the head and a send off for contact to the head with force, to, a penalty for contact to the head (if you stay down) to a “lucky dip” where there is contact to the head with force.

What is killing the game are the on-field theatrics - you stay down = penalty, you get to your feet = play on…. I don’t understand how a ref, touch judge and bunker can spot the most minor knock on but they don’t see initial contact made to the head? This is forcing inconsistency between those who stay down and those who get on with it. If every player who gets a touch with any decent force to the head or neck stayed down, the game would go for 100min and we’d have 40 penalties - its going to ruin your product, fans are over it…

Crusher tackles in particular need to be seriously revisited the sport naturally lends itself to players getting themselves in precarious positions and now we’re seeing the ball carrier deliberately getting under the defender to create a situation where there is some pressure on the neck. Before this becomes a farce, its the ones where the defender is over the attacking player in that cradle position and slams the opponent down with force, they’re the ones to go hard on. This entire situation is getting out of control and quickly… just ask poor Thommo in particular.

 

[Jarrad El Hickey]

100% agree people would be calling for a life ban if it was Hetherington yet Latrell with a worse record this year people are actually defending it and based on the jersey he’s got on he’ll probably get off lightly

 

[Psycho Doggie]

Crusher tackles in particular need to be seriously revisited the sport naturally lends itself to players getting themselves in precarious positions and now we’re seeing the ball carrier deliberately getting under the defender to create a situation where there is some pressure on the neck. Before this becomes a farce, its the ones where the defender is over the attacking player in that cradle position and slams the opponent down with force, it’s getting out of hand.

It has been disgusting to see players like Gutherson staying down with their hand on their necks and the moment the whistle blows jump up grinning and trying for a quick tap.

 

[Psycho Doggie]

It is high time for a LOT of people to write in and calmly point out the clear inconsistencies, highlighting what our players have had to cop for play that hasn't caused the opposition player to miss a single minute.

 

[Ripley]

What is killing the game are the on-field theatrics - you stay down = penalty

Any player who stays down and draws a penalty should have to do a minimum 5 min off field injury assessment.

If they’re genuinely “hurt”, well it’s an appropriate duty of care thing isn’t it.

If they were just milking, well have 5 mins on the sideline as your reward.

And if it still don’t stop the milkers, make it count as an interchange.

 

[GDR]

Latrell is one of the dirtiest players in the game, but because he's a "star" and a pin up boy, all is forgiven..

There's often a lot of intent with latrells actions..

 

[D.O.W.]

100% agree people would be calling for a life ban if it was Hetherington yet Latrell with a worse record this year people are actually defending it and based on the jersey he’s got on he’ll probably get off lightly

Agree, there seems to be a rule for the games superstars and another for the regular Joe’s… I recall a similar case involving Cherry-Evans, the incident deserved Cherry in the sin bin (at a minimum) but all it drew was a penalty.

Nathan Cleary blatantly shoulder charged a bloke with force and it drew nothing on field, in fact, Penrith scored off it. Katoa made a genuine tackle v Warriors and we get the try disallowed and Warrior penalty… lottery.

 

[D.O.W.]

Any player who stays down and draws a penalty should have to do a minimum 5 min off field injury assessment.

If they’re genuinely “hurt”, well it’s an appropriate duty of care thing isn’t it.

If they were just milking, well have 5 mins on the sideline as your reward.

And if it still don’t stop the milkers, make it count as an interchange.

I like this, may be the only way to restore some sanity.

 

[Mr Beast]

Let’s be very f###ing honest @NRL, if Hetho or Thommo did what Latrell did last night, intent or no intent, it would have been a straight send off (not a sin bin) and a 8-10 week suspension. Gould was spot on when he said if Manu didn’t get agitated (and it took him two goes before it actually drew attention), there’s a strong chance the incident wouldn’t have even drawn a penalty.. what game are they (Ash Klein as the lead ref and Henry Perenara managing the Bunker) watching???

Contact to the head with force has been atrociously policed since Magic round, it is a lottery, no one knows which way it’s going to go. From magic round, supposedly the game changer for player safety, it’s gone from a sin bin for contact to the head and a send off for contact to the head with force, to, a penalty for contact to the head (if you stay down) to a “lucky dip” where there is contact to the head with force.

What is killing the game are the on-field theatrics - you stay down = penalty, you get to your feet = play on…. I don’t understand how a ref, touch judge and bunker can spot the most minor knock on but they don’t see initial contact made to the head? This is forcing inconsistency between those who stay down and those who get on with it. If every player who gets a touch with any decent force to the head or neck stayed down, the game would go for 100min and we’d have 40 penalties - its going to ruin your product, fans are over it…

Crusher tackles in particular need to be seriously revisited the sport naturally lends itself to players getting themselves in precarious positions and now we’re seeing the ball carrier deliberately getting under the defender to create a situation where there is some pressure on the neck. Before this becomes a farce, its the ones where the defender is over the attacking player in that cradle position and slams the opponent down with force, they’re the ones to go hard on. This entire situation it’s getting out of control, quickly… just ask poor Thommo in particular.

Well said with a lot of valid points. As a viewer of the sport it’s frustrating the inconsistency is a joke, let a long ruining the game.

 

[bricktamland]

Clowns legit nrlol as some say! Consistency is just a word to them! Reactive not proactive , favouritism vs logic, new rules / stupidity ! You can’t make this shut up , it’s beyond a joke now. Half the time you’re biting your nails not knowing if it’ll be a six again!

 

[Doogie]

Think y'all are being to harsh on the refs. 1st they had to work through the decision tree. That takes time....

1) Is Hetherington or Thompson on the field - yes send off - no go to 2
2) R the Dogs playing - yes send off - no go to 3
3) [Bunker] do I have my bong (as I'll need to think about this) - no play on while I get it - yes go to 4
4) [Bunker] am I at a critical moment with my hookers in here - yes play on - no go to 5
5) Did Manu intentionally use his face to hurt Latrell - yes souths penalty - no go to 6
6) Is the person making contact aboriginal - yes penalty to souths for racist conduct - bunker has made a decision

So I think u can see they made the wrong decision - should never have been 10 and should have been a Souths penalty for racist contact. Hey Graham A - you need to get this sorted brother. And again say hello to your wife and my kids

 

[c-b-b]

Like every new rule they come up with it's enforced for a short time then slowly they become softer on it. It was sold to us as player welfare but what's changed since it was introduced to now from send offs and sin bins to nothing for certain players.

 

[D.O.W.]

Well said with a lot of valid points. As a viewer of the sport it’s frustrating the inconsistency is a joke, let a long ruining the game.

I can accept human error, but surely the rule for contact to the head under the policing of the game right now is clear, contact made with a very high degree of force is a send off and medium-high is a sin bin, low-medium penalty sufficient.

They have made Crusher too broad, any sort of pressure in that neck area it’s a penalty all day if, and only if, you stay down because the refs have no idea. To get it right, the rule needs to be evidence of forceful neck pressure, not for a mere hug.

I’m still struggling to see where Luke Thompson went wrong in that supposed crusher tackle last week, he gets 2 weeks for it… wow.

 

[B-Train]

Hetherington and Thompson would have been arrested on the field if they did that. Latrell was only binned because he's a superstar at a protected glamour club and as usual Klein shat himself.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Latrell tries to hurt players, Walker is the same. Thompson is just a bit of a grub and gets frustrated while Hetheringon is just an idiot and has fuck all control. This was the worst tackle all year, i can't see how the NRL can try and protect him here.

 

[coach]

Hetherington and Thompson would have been arrested on the field if they did that. Latrell was only binned because he's a superstar at a protected glamour club and as usual Klein shat himself.

Hahahah arrested on field, brilliant

 

[D.O.W.]

Think y'all are being to harsh on the refs. 1st they had to work through the decision tree. That takes time....

1) Is Hetherington or Thompson on the field - yes send off - no go to 2
2) R the Dogs playing - yes send off - no go to 3
3) [Bunker] do I have my bong (as I'll need to think about this) - no play on while I get it - yes go to 4
4) [Bunker] am I at a critical moment with my hookers in here - yes play on - no go to 5
5) Did Manu intentionally use his face to hurt Latrell - yes souths penalty - no go to 6
6) Is the person making contact aboriginal - yes penalty to souths for racist conduct - bunker has made a decision

So I think u can see they made the wrong decision - should never have been 10 and should have been a Souths penalty for racist contact. Hey Graham A - you need to get this sorted brother. And again say hello to your wife and my kids

Hahaha…1-5 is absolute gold! Loved it, cheers mate! I see where you went thereafter, I don’t think decisions are based on race personally though we do see Cody Walker get away with a lot of grubby sh!t on the field, but then again, so did Cam Smith and Billy Slater.

 

[Rockford]

The worst part for me was if Manu hadn't persisted, nothing would have been done. Such a late and blatant hit (irrespective of whether it was aimed at the head) should have been a bin offence straight-away. Then to see him spike the ball after scoring straight at the held down players head was a disgrace.

 

[maltalian_dog]

If that was Hetherington he would have been Tasered and arrested on site. The media pundits would be asking whether we should bring back the death penalty

 

[c-b-b]

What about Latrell bouncing the ball right where a player was on the ground with force after the try. That wasn't a post try celebration.