All NRL club doctors unite to ban shoulder charge

LEADING sports doctors are united - the shoulder charge should be outlawed in the NRL as soon as possible.

LEADING sports doctors are united - the shoulder charge should be outlawed in the NRL as soon as possible.

After 104 years, the game's most controversial tackle is finally set to be banned. The Daily Telegraph can reveal all 16 NRL club doctors are united in calling for an immediate ruling from the league.

Amid worldwide fears about concussion in sport, a committee has been set up to investigate the physical impact a shoulder charge can have on a player's neck, head or brain.

Exhibit A should be Saturday night's horror tackle on Dragons' Dean Young by Rabbitoh Greg Inglis. The Souths fullback collected Young in the head with his shoulder, and the Dragon had to leave the field in a neck brace aboard a medicab.

The committee will be headed by former Sydney Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan and include ex-rugby league doctor Hugh Hazard, NRL chief medical officer Ron Muratore, principal scientist at the NSW Institute of Sport Kenneth Graham and Donna O'Connor, an associate professor at Sydney University.

Spokesman for the Rugby League Medical Officer's Association of club doctors, orthopedic surgeon Sam Sorrenti, said last night the shoulder charge must be banned.

"It is only a matter of time before there is a major disaster," Sorrenti said. "It's very dangerous and if it goes wrong, there can be terrible concussion. There is no point reacting after something has gone wrong. We don't want to turn rugby league into a sissy's game but we have a duty of care for the players' welfare.

"Our job is to warn the NRL of the potential problems. It's up to the NRL to take that advice. The rules need to be modified ASAP to protect the players' long-term wellbeing."

The NRL match review committee is today expected to charge Inglis.

SG Managament, the company which looks after Young, went on Twitter yesterday, revealing how sick the Dragons player was.

"True story. Dean Young told trainer: 'Tell Brownie (former Dragons coach Nathan Brown) to put me back on'. Gaga land last night. Lost five years of memory," the company tweeted.

Canavan's committee, set up before the Inglis incident, hopes to have a report for the NRL in the coming weeks.

"We will do it thoroughly and it will be all evidence-based rather than opinion," Canavan said.

Michael Johnson, who was Parramatta's doctor for 33 years, also called on the NRL to eradicate the shoulder injury.

"It should be banned because of the risk to the head and neck," Johnson said.

"It's becoming an epidemic now - it is the current-day stiff arm tackle. I don't think it will be long before there is a serious neck or brain injury. Players hit repeatedly in the head will be punch-drunk 20 years after they stop playing."

Roosters medical officer Dr John Orchard says there have been 15 players taken out of games by dubious tackles, but in only one instance was there a send-off, with Dragons star, Matt Prior marched for elbowing Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston.

NRL director of football Nathan McGuirk confirmed the tackle was under scrutiny.

"It is too early to come to any conclusion but hopefully it will be completed by the end of the year," he said.