Brad Fittler says Billy Slater must be suspended for NRL grand final to ‘set example’ on shoulder charges
NSW coach Brad Fittler says Billy Slater must be suspended for the NRL grand final to “set the example” on shoulder charges.
Storm
Don't miss out on the headlines from Storm. Followed categories will be added to My News.
NSW coach Brad Fittler says Billy Slater must be suspended for the NRL grand final to “set the example” on shoulder charges.
Slater was on Saturday hit with a grade one shoulder charge for a try saving tackle on Cronulla’s Sosaia Feki during Friday’s 22-6 preliminary final win.
The retiring Slater will miss next Sunday’s grand final unless he wins at the judiciary on Tuesday night, meaning he may have played his last NRL game.
If Slater is banned, he will become the unlucky 13th player to be rubbed out of a decider since they became compulsory in 1954, but the first retiring player to do so.
He would also be the first player to be banned from the big match because of a shoulder charge since the play was outlawed in 2013.
DEBATE: Case for and against Slater
“The fact it’s Billy Slater and it’s a grand final, you have to take that away,” Fittler told The Sunday Footy Show.
“If you want to stop players doing it you have to uphold what they’ve gone down with because if you’re not ... all fullbacks are going to come across and say ‘well now I can shoulder charge in this instance because Billy Slater did it’.
“And it’s when someone gets hit in the head in that situation that we look at that situation again and go over it and do the whole lot again. The biggest thing in his favour is that it’s Billy, it’s a grand final, and he’s actually going to sit in front of three people who need to say ‘mate, you can’t play next week.’
“And that’s very hard for them to say. But if you want to set the example, you want to eradicate it, it has to stick.”
Meanwhile, rugby league legend Peter Sterling has called for the judiciary to clear Billy Slater for the NRL grand final, despite admitting the Storm superstar committed an illegal shoulder charge.
“Billy couldn’t miss a grand final for that, in my opinion,” Sterling said. “But on what we have seen, the precedent that has been set, there is no wrapping action with the arms. It’s a shoulder charge by the standards…
“No (there’s is not enough intent in his right arm to prove a wrapping motion). If we are going on what we have seen over this season and before that as well, then that’s a shoulder charge and that’s time on the sideline.
“I’m not one of those people, I can’t believe you could miss a grand final for that.”
Queensland great Darren Lockyer agreed: “It would be crazy for him to be ruled out.”
Get ready for cricket like never before. FREE Sport HD + Entertainment until the first 4K cricket ball as part of 3 months free on a 12 month plan. SIGN UP TODAY. T&Cs apply.