Then sod off and do whatever it is you have to do that is much better.

Go Away

Looking back at it now, i think i may have overreacted a little.

He was quite late on Wheeler but i think it was more the force of the collision than the placing of Hoffman's tackle that hurt Wheeler.

So if Jammer had damaged Lima's shoulder with his collision then that would have been ok?

Yes. Firstly, because Lima is a dirty git. Secondly, because shoulder charges on a player when they are NOT kicking the ball are legal. Thirdly, because Lima is a dirty git.

Simples.

Why did the ref give a knock-on when the ball clearly hit Deacon in the face? That changed the momentum of the game which led to Saints two late tries. If you are going to harp on about refereeing decisions then take a balanced view.

Firstly Lima isn't a dirty git. Secondly the challenge on Wheeler was legal. Thirdly Lima is not a dirty git.

If Deacon's face knocked the ball forward, then that is a knock on. Had it knocked the ball backwards, it wouldn't have been a knock on.

I disagree.

The ref didn't agree.

The rule was introduced to cover the situation where, Hooper style, the player deliberately heads the ball forward.

Exactly. And those rules were not applied because the O'Loughlin hit was a legal challenge. Hence Wilkin getting up afterwards and not being annoyed by the decision to carry on with the game.

I don't understand your argument.

The original argument was about Ryan Hoffman's late challenge on Wheeler, and the rules of the game in respect of tackling a kicker when he is kicking the ball.

I believe the challenge on Wheeler was late. That would make it an illegal challenge on one score.

My understanding of the rules of the game where challenging the kicker are concerned is that the challenging player isn't supposed to aim for the kicker but for the ball, either to intercept it or to put the kicker off. Hoffman clearly shoulder charged Wheeler in the shoulder, popping his AC joint. That is as clear as day on the TV footage. That would make it an illegal challenge on another score.

Therefore, from my POV, what Hoffman did was illegal - because it was late and because it was a direct hit on Wheeler rather than going for the ball.

However, the referee ignored it and whether the RFL will see it the same way is anyone's guess. One minute everyone is being sinbinned and the next no one is. This game's ruling body is very amateurish.

As for the O'Loughlin challenge on Wilkin, from the TV that looked high but as it was a shoulder charge it is hard to tell based on the distance from the camera. The Wheeler challenge, though, was very close to the camera and clear to see.

No problem with your opinion, just don't keep shoving it down everyone's throat.

Sorry pal, think we've got our wires crossed. I can see how some people may argue that the Hoffman challenge was illegal and how some can think that it was not. Personally I still can't decide and like many things in rugby league these days, it's very much down to opinion.

But I was initially responding to a comment about the O'Loughlin challenge on Wilkin which I definitely do think was legal. High-ish but still hit a legal part of the body on initial contact. And I think that's why none of the players made nothing of that particular incident as I presume they thought the same.