I see the NRL today banned the use of the shoulder barge as a tackling technique. All those 'king hits' we celebrate on youtube are now consigned to history. Burgess on Moi Moi? Nope. SBW's League career? Nope.

There is a lot of talk that the RFL will follow and the shoulder will be banned in RL at all levels in this country. The impact on our own team is pretty big, as Sia's effectiveness will be enormously reduced. I'd go as far as saying it'll destroy his game if he can't fly in with the big hits when he comes on.

It just seems such a ridiculous decision to me. I don't recall a single case of someone being seriously injured by one of these tackles. I've moaned in the past that shoulder charges that impact the face first should be dealt with severely and I stand by that, banning them entirely just seems a very ill advised move. The ban has proven incredibly unpopular on Twitter with the NRL players, with some questioning the future of the sport, as it is one of the big draw factors in Australia. Another option, apart from lengthening bans for hits to the head, would be to reduce the 10 to 7 or 8 to reduce the impact of collisions.

If the players are so against it, I really can't see why they've done it. They claim it's on medical advice from Doctor's, but as several of the NRL players have pointed out, those same Doctor's are fine with accelerating returns from concussion injuries and using cortisone and pain killing injections as if they plasters on a child's knee.

I'll ask you a question. What is the main cause of serious injury in rugby league? The answer is running. Are they going to ban that as well?

Hope we don't follow, last season was dour enough. Any chance of a season ticket refund if we do?

In what must be a rare cosmic aligment of planets,i agree with Saddened.

this will get reversed in no time. its rugby not bloody football

Travesty.

It's already an offence to strike an opponents head with any part of your body.

Then the answer must surely be punish contact to the head more than they do now.If a head shot that would normaly give a pentalty now gives a yellow,or a shot then gets you a 2 game ban now gives you 5 games,then players would sort out their tackling technique and shoulder charged would still be part of the game.

[Saddened] It would help Wellens game no end[/Saddened]



It's a shocking decision.

As has been mentioned, where is the statistical evidence to show that shoulder charge tackles cause disproportionately more injuries than any other form of physical contact?

Hopefully ESL won't follow the Aussies. Yeah, like that'll happen.

I think the key is kicking up a real fuss about it. If the players, coaches AND fans all sign a petition and voice their disapproval at the decision, surely they would have to overrule it?

A disaster , are they trying to kill off all interest in the game?

If the NRL said players had to shave their hair off and paint their head purple we would do the same.