The McKinnon incident debate

If McKinnon doesn't get hurt nobody in the game is even talking about this tackle. O'Donnell got like 2 weeks for his tackle on Simona last year? Based on that, McLean should walk. It'd be a major **** up for the NRL to lay out the punishment for that tackle, which is frankly what I expect them to do.
 
Ale McKinnon Incident

All of our thoughts go to you and your family Alex over the horrifying tackle. You in good hands at hospital and the Knights are behing you. What do you guys think about this and how long do you think Jordan McLean should be banned for?
 
Alex McKinnon Incident

All of our thoughts go to you and your family Alex over the horrifying tackle. You in good hands at hospital and the Knights are behing you. What do you guys think about this and how long do you think Jordan McLean should be banned for?
 
So if McKinnon does turn out to be a quadriplegic, what do those who feel that the injury should be taken into account when sentencing think should be Mcleans suspension? 1 year? 2 years? 5 years? life?
 
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Answering purely the injury vs punishment issue, clearly there has to be consideration of whether the actions of the defenders was the sole cause of the injury. In this case I don't think anyone can say that.

As for the tackle itself, I've only managed to watch it once, it's too difficult to watch repeatedly. The hand was between the legs doing lifting, which is part of the "KPI" of a "dangerous throw" charge. But given the lift didn't go beyond the horizontal that I could see, and there was no driving of the player, or reckless dropping of the player, I can't see how it'll be a charge at all, and at worst a grade 1.

It's just a really unfortunate accident and I think it's really wrong to lump blame on the Storm or the players for this. I doubt many people feel worse about this than McLean.

I do hope the NRL review the topic of lifting legs in a tackle in the offseason. I don't want them to do a kneejerk ban on them right now, but it definitely needs review. Because there are times where a player is held by 2 guys, arms pinned, and someone lifts the leg and that does create a really uncontrolled fall/pile on effect. This is as extreme a case as you'll get of those factors, but from my perspective there's no benefit to lifting the leg of the player other than to make them fall, get tangled and slow the play the ball.

To my mind it doesn't require a new judiciary charge, but it should probably be a penalty - a bit like tackling in the air. The risk is pretty low of anything serious, but the default penalty has stopped it happening (mostly).
 
If McLean has to sit out, it should only be if he needs time off with the knowledge of what happened and that he was partially responsible. I mean I have no idea how I'd deal with it if I were him.

It's really one of the most tragic things to happen in Rugby League history, but no one should really be blamed for it.
 
Well it's up to the judiciary to decide if there was any illegality in it. If there is, it's not much.
 
I don't think he should get more than a week or two. He shouldn't be punished more for the result because IMO the result in itself is enough of a punishment for the poor guy. What a shitty, shitty thing to happen. I feel so sorry for McKinnon but I also feel sorry for MacLean, poor guy would never have predicted the result and in a split second he's been involved in one of the worst injuries that can happen.
 
Yeah I tend to think injury should only be a consideration in the punishment where it's reckless or intentional. Neither is the case here, and I do think he has a good case to get no suspension at all.
 
Coxy said:
Yeah I tend to think injury should only be a consideration in the punishment where it's reckless or intentional. Neither is the case here, and I do think he has a good case to get no suspension at all.
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Exactly.

If, for example Boyd broke his neck as a result of the O'Donnell tackle in that origin match, I would imagine he would've got a ginormous ban. McLean on the other hand showed no intent or malice, and imo should only get a week maximum.
 
Absolutely agree he shouldn't get long but I do think he should get a week. As much as there was no malice and it wasn't reckless, it was still illegal even if only just so. I think to is the best thing for all parties.
 
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