James Maloney says ‘dog shot’ culprits should be binned, comparing issue to concussion
NSW half James Maloney wants “dog shot’ culprits instantly sin-binned saying the issue is as important as the NRL’s bid to protect players from concussion.
NRL
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NSW half James Maloney wants “dog shot’ culprits instantly sin-binned saying the issue is as important as the NRL’s bid to protect players from concussion.
And Blues enforcer Tyson Frizell has also called for a tougher stance from the NRL, conceding that rogue ‘cheap’ shots on playmakers weren’t “in the spirit of the game.’’
The outcry, led by furious Immortal Andrew Johns, has reached tipping point across the game after Manly’s Jack Gosiewski crushed Cowboys champions Johnathan Thurston with a late shot after he had passed the footy on Thursday night.
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The rookie Sea Eagles forward was charged by the NRL match review committee with a grade one shoulder charge — which equates to a one-week suspension with an early guilty plea.
Maloney said the game needed to get tougher — starting with any player guilty of blatant late shots, being sent to the sin bin.
“I’ve seen the one on JT (Thurston) and it was pretty bad,’’ Maloney said.
“He’d (Thurston) taken another two steps and there was a cheap shot.
“The game has to do something.
“If there’s no deterrent, then why are you going to stop — especially when it’s key players in an opposition.
“Whether it’s a sin bin or if you’re talking suspensions, yes it’s a deterrent but if in a big game, if you’ve got a key halfback on grand final day and someone hit him late, they serve those weeks the next year.
“People go to the bin for the smallest of things, including repeated infringements, so if a blatant late she isn’t deserving of (sin bin), well then what is?
“That’s got to be considered.
“Coaches will then start talking to players because no one wants to be playing with 12 men.’’
Maloney was asked to tell the fans and the media what we don’t see, including the after-match pain and injury playmakers deal with as result of being hit late into the ribs and kidney.
He suggested the code would be accused of contradicting itself, if they failed to clam down on illegal late shots when so much works has gone into the concussion sphere.
“It’s the late ones, when you’ve got an opportunity to pull out of it, that’s a real concern,’’ Maloney said.
“It locks your neck and all your back up.
“They’re painful.
“We’re doing so much for concussion and player protection, this doesn’t fit the bill if you let it slide, does it?’’
Frizell, whose role is to shut down the game’s best attacking players by rushing them with pressure, said he hated seeing playmakers being taken out late.
“It’s a fine line,’’ Frizell said.
“There’s a couple of shots (lately) that we’ve seen that have come late and from the back.
“I think it’s fine if a half comes into the line and they’re trying to hold you up as much as possible and you’re getting a whack front on.
“But anything that’s passed and you’re chasing a half to hit him, is not in the spirit of the game.
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“It’s not something I would look to do — to take someone out. There’s different ways to do that fair and right.
“10-minutes for heavy contact or shots like that is one way because we don’t want to see it in the game.
“If you start sitting boys down for shots like that, that’s the way we can take it out of the game.’’
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