Dean Young's father, Craig, backs NRL to ban shoulder charge

CRAIG Young, the father of injured St George Illawarra utility Dean, has demanded the shoulder charge be banned immediately.

CRAIG Young, the father of injured St George Illawarra utility Dean, has demanded the shoulder charge be banned immediately before a player has his neck broken.

One of the toughest forwards to play rugby league, Craig watched Dean being placed in a neck brace on Saturday after an ill-directed shoulder charge from Souths star Greg Inglis.

Inglis was yesterday charged by the NRL match review committee and is facing a suspension of either four or five games.

Dean's wife, Brooke, was at the game and burst into tears after seeing her husband sustain the injury.

"They have to get rid of it," said Craig, who played 20 Tests for Australia.

"They can't wait around while a committee makes a decision. They should put out a memo this afternoon saying it's gone before we see someone in a wheelchair.

"We are lucky we haven't seen someone in a wheelchair or that kind of tragedy.

"It is the NRL's responsibility to protect the players from themselves. It is only through good luck that we haven't seen a tragedy - not good management."

Craig, an official with the Dragons who was at the match, yesterday recounted the moment he saw son Dean hit the ground.

"It was worse seeing your son there in a neck brace," Craig said. "There wasn't a lot you could do - just hope everything is all right.

"He still has headaches but at least he doesn't have a broken jaw or broken neck.

"There was no need for that type of tackle, no reason for it. Dean wasn't a threat, he was already tackled.

"It is the same with spear tackles. They have to get rid of them. Maybe hand out a few Les Boyd sentences.

"That would make a statement. There isn't a deterrent at the moment.

"A lot of people rang me after it and questioned whether they would let their kids play rugby league down the track."

Titans forward Greg Bird yesterday supported retaining the tackle.

"That's why rugby league is one of the toughest games to play because you go out every week and you're at risk of getting hurt," Bird said.