injuryupdate
02-05-2004, 09:52 PM
Soccer needed to bring in laws about it, the AFL has recently acted and now it is time for the NRL to do something. The new rule, allowing the video ref to go back and replay a suspected illegal hit if play is stopped due to injury, has created a massive incentive for players to lie down.
Craig Gower did it blatantly against the West Tigers last Friday night, when he was hit late by a Scott Sattler tackle. The tackle was definitely late and perhaps warranted a soft penalty. However, the tackle hit Gower on the chest (which was quite easily seen on the video) with Sattler's arm bouncing up and going close to, but probably not hitting Gower's head. Gower took a dive and pretended to be unconscious, causing play to stop. After replaying the incident, a penalty was awarded to Penrith for the late tackle. This feigning of injury resulted in a Panthers try and may have won them the game. Gower of course go up to take the tap and had nothing wrong with him, and fully participated in their repeat set.
The reason why this can be written as factual rather than alleged is that Gower gave himself up in the post-match interview. Matthew Johns asked him how his head was and Gower laughed, winked at the camera, and said "I got the penalty, didn't I". Johns called him a cunning fox.
My suggested solution is that the video refs be given the power to award a penalty in this situation for faking if it is obvious that the contact wouldn't have caused the alleged injury. Maybe if such a rule existed, on the night Gower would have been given the benefit, as Sattler went close to his head. But such a rule needs to come in or players will look at Gower's success, and repeat the feat on a weekly basis.
Craig Gower did it blatantly against the West Tigers last Friday night, when he was hit late by a Scott Sattler tackle. The tackle was definitely late and perhaps warranted a soft penalty. However, the tackle hit Gower on the chest (which was quite easily seen on the video) with Sattler's arm bouncing up and going close to, but probably not hitting Gower's head. Gower took a dive and pretended to be unconscious, causing play to stop. After replaying the incident, a penalty was awarded to Penrith for the late tackle. This feigning of injury resulted in a Panthers try and may have won them the game. Gower of course go up to take the tap and had nothing wrong with him, and fully participated in their repeat set.
The reason why this can be written as factual rather than alleged is that Gower gave himself up in the post-match interview. Matthew Johns asked him how his head was and Gower laughed, winked at the camera, and said "I got the penalty, didn't I". Johns called him a cunning fox.
My suggested solution is that the video refs be given the power to award a penalty in this situation for faking if it is obvious that the contact wouldn't have caused the alleged injury. Maybe if such a rule existed, on the night Gower would have been given the benefit, as Sattler went close to his head. But such a rule needs to come in or players will look at Gower's success, and repeat the feat on a weekly basis.