This should be banned... *pic*

[Hamm.0]

I don't understand how he would be gone? Like the grapple, until they add it to the ever growing list of rules, then it isn't illegal. Just because a commentator and a few journos with no articles to write because Broncos are on lockdown and Bird's gone underground, write it up, that doesn't make it illegal.

I need to get into this sports journo game...I could single handedly change the game of RL!

 

[Coxy]

Yes it is illegal. There's a rule called "indiscriminate kicking". That's what it falls under.

 

[Alec]

Best way to avoid this is to NOT pick Slater anymore. Hunt is a better fullback anyway. Especially at rep level [icon_razz1 .

 

[Aeetee]

Screw him Hammo hes a piece of shit and the sooner he gets done for roids the better....

Slater told to stamp out diving


October 27, 2008

AUSTRALIA full-back Billy Slater has been told he will be suspended if he persists with the dangerous tactic of diving feet first at opposition players attempting to score.

World Cup match review committee chairman Greg McCallum took the extraordinary step of contacting Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart to voice his concerns over Slater's controversial tackling technique.

Slater denied New Zealand centre Jerome Ropati a try in Sunday night's comfortable 30-6 win over the Kiwis when he lunged at the Warriors utility with his foot as Ropati attempted to put the ball over the line.

The impact knocked the ball loose from Ropati's grasp with the Kiwi ruled to have knocked on by video referee Steve Ganson, but McCallum warned Slater that the feet-first practice would no longer be tolerated.

"We're all disturbed by it," McCallum said of the tackling technique.

"We've got to get the message across to him that he's got to stop doing it.

"If you hit a bloke in that position the consequences can be really devastating."

Sunday night's match was not the first time Slater's feet-first manoeuvre had been called into question by the match review committee with Manly officials livid at two similar instances in their 40-0 grand final win over the Storm.

The incidents were noted in the match review committee's summation of the NRL decider, but Slater said after Sunday night's game he had never been told the practice was illegal.

"I haven't been told that I can't do it," Slater said.

"It's a bit like a tackle - as long as you're not making contact with the head or going in maliciously or intent to cause damage, that's a full-back's job, to get under them and do your best to save a try.

"At full-back you've just got to get your body in between the ball carrier and the line and hope for the best, that's what I've been doing all year."

McCallum said he taken it upon himself to ensure Slater was under no illusions as to the dangers of executing the tackle in the future.

"I'm going to make sure that he understands after last night's game that it's got to stop," he said.

"It's contrary conduct, players take the field knowing certain risks, but one of them is not to have feet coming at them."

Asked what would happen if Slater did attempt the tackle again, McCallum said:
"The tolerance that we've shown today might not be there in the future.

"The game's never tolerated people throwing their legs out ... those are the sorts of things that separate league from other sports.

"The time's come where there has to be a change of attitude."

Meanwhile in-doubt duo Brent Tate and Johnathan Thurston should both be available for selection in Sunday's match against England at Telstra Dome after flying to Melbourne with the remainder of the squad.

Thurston overcame the tragic death of his uncle Richard Saunders early Saturday morning to put in a man of the match performance against the Kiwis.

It was believed the classy No.7 would return to Brisbane to be with family and friends, but with the funeral set to be held next week, it is now anticipated Thurston will remain in the Victorian capital.

Tate is also set to play against the Lions despite suffering a severe bout of concussion early in the second half of Sunday night's win.

 

[The Brizz]

Best way to avoid this is to NOT pick Slater anymore. Hunt is a better fullback anyway. Especially at rep level [icon_razz1 .

icon_thumbs_u

 

[Coxy]

Agreed. Hunt is the best all round player in the world at the moment. You should see him pick up with 3 men's tackle.

 

[The Brizz]

I would personally have dropped Lockyer for him (he isn't getting any younger) and Hunt is destined to play 5/8th for Australia so we might as well cut or slide to the chase

 

[Coxy]

Not a bad idea. Though how about Lockyer back to fullback? He's still a better fullback than anything running around in the game right now.

 

[The Brizz]

Yeah that wouldn't be a bad idea, just until the next Bronco fullback prodigy comes along and sweeps us all whimsically off our collective feet.

 

[Coxy]

Josh Hoffman. 2010 he'll hit the scene big time. 2011 he'll be Test captain.

For which nation nobody's quite sure, he might have a Mongolian great grandfather

 

[The Brizz]

I am sure I read that somewhere. Regardless he should still be eligible for QLD and Australia if (and its a big if) the Mongols fail to qualify for the RLWC## (how often do they hold these things?)

 

[Coxy]

I am sure I read that somewhere. Regardless he should still be eligible for QLD and Australia if (and its a big if) the Mongols fail to qualify for the RLWC## (how often do they hold these things?)

At least once a century.

The Mongols are specials for the 2108 world cup. Josh Hoffman will still be carving at 120 years old.

 

[The Brizz]

I heard they have plans to clone Ghengis Kahn (sic) from DNA they saved and get him out there again. For those who don't know he was a ball playing lock with the Newtown Jets in the early 60's before he quit young to pursue a career as a chimney sweep.

 

[Black Philip]

I heard they have plans to clone Ghengis Kahn (sic) from DNA they saved and get him out there again. For those who don't know he was a ball playing lock with the Newtown Jets in the early 60's before he quit young to pursue a career as a chimney sweep.

Serious? I thought he was a warlord eusa_think You learn something everyday hey icon_smile

 

[Je$ter]

Warlord was just a front for his chimney sweeping.