Shoulder charges are not illegal in RL. Whether they should be or not is another matter, but all talk of an illegal tackle is incorrect. It was a perfectly valid tackle within the rules as they exist now.

I'm going to watch the replay again before making a final judgement, but my view of it at the time was that the initial contact was on the shoulder/body. In that case a red card is not justified. If the initial contact [iwas[/i on the head then it's a different ball game, but I'll look forward to every single high tackle resulting in a red card from now on.

Intent is [ialways[/i taken into account. That's why not every high tackle is a red card, for example.

And people who think shoulder barges are an attractive feature of the game should go and watch Gridiron.

I'm looking at it now. Rinaldi is stooping into the challenge. If he'd been even a bit closer to upright Moa would have hit him square in the chest. As it happens, Rinaldi's body angle makes it so that Moa connects on upper chest and chin.

It looks a lot worse than any other high tackle that a player is falling into because of the impact involved. To me, Moa hasn't 'attacked the head', he's gone for a (legal) bit hit that hasn't worked out because of other factors.

Gentle spot on for me. I'm not sure if Sam Moa has Tommy Lee's mobile number but he needs to give him his red card back.

I wonder what Barry and Terry would have made of the shoulder charge.

On first viewing, a red card was harsh. On second viewing, I agree with Mr Sliverwood. Tommy Lee should have been sent off yesterday aswell. No doubt about that one.

Interesting to read a few Leeds fans with views like above after they all defended Ryan Bailey when he put his shoulder in Maurie Fa'asavalus face the other year "because he led with the shoulder and therefore it's unintentional and legal"

Technically, the official was right to send Moa off as he did make contact with Rinaldi's head, although it wasn't intentional it is a sending off offense...

However, with some of the tackles that are made every week in SL that are worse than Moa's I think he has possibly been unlucky to see red for that and think referees need to be more consistent across the board with their punishment for certain offenses

It's rugby league FFS, not synchronised swimming.

Should a team get extra points for attractive tackles?

Attacking the head is an offence, hitting the head isn't.

Moa will get found not guilty.

If he is found anything else, including SoS, I would hope the Hull club lodges an appeal and cites the numerous incidents that Morley has been placed on report for over the last four seasons as mitigation.

It may not be attractive but unlike rugby union, it is not illegal to effect a tackle with the shoulder. Phil Clarke called it spot on tonight.

First point, the shoulder charge should never ever be banned. It is a great spectacle in RL.

BUT, should charges to the head should be banned. If it had have been a swinging arm (Like Tommy Lees) no one would have had any complaints, so why is Moa's any different. He has hit Rinaldi high and has knocked him out cold. Thankfully Rinaldi seems to be ok. Moa isn't a dirty player, he just got the shot wrong. Should barges should never be banned, but i don't agree with others argument saying ti should be OK to smash another players head with your shoulder. But shoulder charges should stay,

And if a tackler goes "downstairs" and is hit by the ball carrier's knee, would that too be deemed a "bad hit"?

We'll be playing flag rugby before we know it

Initial impact hit the shoulder and rode up for me. Just unlucky that Rinaldi had stepped and dummied at the time as it made him lower to the ground.

Unintentional. Not first impact. Not red for me. Same as Bailey on Fa'asavalu a few years ago.

The reaction from the London players said it all to me. Not one Broncos player kicked off or ran in. They just saw him get creamed and thought "bloody 'ell!" Now Kaufusi shortly afterwards was an attempt to take someone's head off. Lucky that he barely connected.