Fair cop - but I'm still a scapegoat, says Smith

[Kaz]

MELBOURNE skipper Cam Smith believes the NRL has made a statement in its war on the grapple tackle through his suspension - but he has one for officials in return.

He feels he has been made a scapegoat, even if he concedes that he should have been banned for his controversial tackle on Sam Thaiday. Speaking openly about his suspension - and the subsequent costly support by his coach and chief executive - for the first time, Smith questioned why he was rubbed out for two weeks when others have not been charged for similar offences.

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/fa ... 82518.html

Anthony Mundine was a mute compared to Cam Smith.

Smith wailed for years that the Broncos never signed him, now this.

 

[Flutterby]

Yep - he's moving up my list of least liked players.

Of course Melbourne was the team that was going to get cracked down on - they started it and they do it the most.

 

[ronnyd]

I thought he handled that interview well. Admitted that it was an illgeal tackle and is willingly to cop the ban, but questioned why other equally dangerous tackles were ignored by the panel.

 

[mick]

I still am yet to see a tackle where the defender has 2-3 separate wrenches on the head/neck area. If Cam could point out even one or two tackles which have been "the same" but went unpunished, I'd listen.

 

[Emma]

I'm still wondering what tackles they're talking about when they mention ones that were as bad or nearly as bad as Smith's. The one's Bellamy pointed out last week were nothing like the Smith tackle, now Smith is saying that there have been heaps nearly as bad let go. Which tackles??? Why are they so blind to think that tackles like the one on Thaiday have been let go when I can't remember a single case of one being that bad???

 

[Burg]

Look he raises a fair point and if it was a Bronco that missed the GF we would be up in arms, however try using that defence when you get pulled up by the police for speeding. "But officer I've seen other people speeding far worse then me, so you should let me off". Hmm, don't think so.

 

[ronnyd]

I still am yet to see a tackle where the defender has 2-3 separate wrenches on the head/neck area. If Cam could point out even one or two tackles which have been "the same" but went unpunished, I'd listen.

Have you seen the tackle Bellyache referred to in his post match spary? It was alot worse the Smiths grapple on Tate (which effectively ruled him out of the gf)!

 

[Kaz]

Smith wasn't charged with a grapple.

Look he raises a fair point and if it was a Bronco that missed the GF we would be up in arms,

I wouldn't be up in arms with it, I would say he deserved it.

 

[Hamm.0]

Yep - he's moving up my list of least liked players.

Of course Melbourne was the team that was going to get cracked down on - they started it and they do it the most.

Well that depends; they aren't the most penalised for it. So, statistically speaking, they don't do it the most.

Look he raises a fair point and if it was a Bronco that missed the GF we would be up in arms, however try using that defence when you get pulled up by the police for speeding. "But officer I've seen other people speeding far worse then me, so you should let me off". Hmm, don't think so.

He isn't using it as a "defence", he's simply making a statement. He quite clearly says, since the tackle was found to be illegal, he is wrong in committing it.

I still am yet to see a tackle where the defender has 2-3 separate wrenches on the head/neck area. If Cam could point out even one or two tackles which have been "the same" but went unpunished, I'd listen.

I'm still wondering what tackles they're talking about when they mention ones that were as bad or nearly as bad as Smith's. The one's Bellamy pointed out last week were nothing like the Smith tackle, now Smith is saying that there have been heaps nearly as bad let go. Which tackles??? Why are they so blind to think that tackles like the one on Thaiday have been let go when I can't remember a single case of one being that bad???

Whilst Smith's tackle wasn't the exact same, the tackle in the Dragons game was still very bad. Definetly, in the "arguably as bad" as bad category. It was a grapple around the neck.


I take nothing from this interview. He was asked some obvious questions and answered them very PC and definetly the way I'd expect an Australian (or next to be Australian) captain to answer them. He's admitted fault and also tried hard to not buy into the debate on Bellamy's comments.

 

[Kaz]

I think Smith can kiss the Australian Captaincy goodbye.

 

[Hamm.0]

I do hate stats, that is true.

However, I don't agree they do it the most.

I'd agree that most BHQ posters seem to think they do it the most. I would like to throw up the possibly that maybe BHQ posters either watch more Storm games than other teams (due to Foxtel, etc) or possibly notice the Storm more.

 

[Flutterby]

He's also a hypocrite - saying other people shouldn't comment on matters before the judiciary hears it; whilst he was very quick to comment on Ben Ross's tackle on Cronk earlier in the year saying how bad it was etc etc.

 

[Kaz]

I laughed at that then they showed it on the news tonight.

 

[Kimlo]

lol hammo, My mother is consistenly over the speed limit, like most the time, and has been caught once or twice in 30 years, my borther is not over the limit that much and has lost his licence before LOL.

Just because you're not penalised, doesn't mean you don't do it the most!

 

[Hamm.0]

lol hammo, My mother is consistenly over the speed limit, like most the time, and has been caught once or twice in 30 years, my borther is not over the limit that much and has lost his licence before LOL.

Just because you're not penalised, doesn't mean you don't do it the most!

Congratulations to your family.

Just because broncospwn say they do it the most, doesn't mean they do it the most.

See the conundrum?

 

[Culhwch]

Smith wasn't charged with a grapple.

Look he raises a fair point and if it was a Bronco that missed the GF we would be up in arms,

I wouldn't be up in arms with it, I would say he deserved it.

Exactly. I'd be as annoyed as hell that he was that stupid, but you reap what you sow...

 

[Bannermania]

Its amazing how we all judge a man by the colour his shirt is..

 

[Nashy]

I think Smith can kiss the Australian Captaincy goodbye.

Of course he is. The Aussie test captain is available. He was never going to be captain with Lockyer about.


This guy is worse than Bellamy, it'll be good not to see him whinging on the field though.