It's been going on for ages. Didn't Motu get flattened in the 2005 CC final in the act of scoring by a Leeds player going in with a raised knee?

The going in to stop a try feet first is the thing that needs stopping, how Webb has not got cautioned over how he tried to stop Raguin's try is shocking.

That's a horrible lisp you've developed.


On a serious note, I think you're being very generous referring to them as attempts to dislodge the ball!
It's a problem that won't be addressed until somebody gets seriously injured.

I think it is sort of human instinct to do this when it really matters, clutching at straws kind of behaviour as you get deperate, still no excuse though

Instinct to lead with your knees or studs?
Well my instinct was always to dive forward with hands/arms/shoulders, anything else IMO is foul play.. Raynor was harshly punished for making a genuine (albeit badly mistimed) attempt to dislodge the ball, if he had gone in with his studs showing or his knees and made contact then the end result could have been terrible.

In essence trying to effect a tackle with your knees or open studs is a binning/sending off offence, stopping a try scoring effort is absolutely no different.

As for the Motu Tony CC try when we watched the replay on the big screen I was going mental, I thought it sure a penalty kick under the sticks was going to be given? How Mathers got away with that I'll never know

If you led with your knees in a tackle anywhere else on the pitch it would be a straight red, don't see why it should be any different just because it's over the try line. Raynor was dismissed (and rightly so) for his desperate attempt to prevent a try, the knees to the kidney is just as bad as a high shot, if not worse.

Nothing new really, personally I'd say the worst player for doing this is Billy Slater, he's been doing it for years but never seems to get pulled for it.

Mathers

Message to Webb. Lee Radford is playing on Friday......be very careful with your knees, arms and other body items. Be warned and if you dont trust me ask Bailey.

Definitley Mathers - Bai was the one who passed the ball very nicely to Whiting in the in goal

Dirty cheap shots should result in a sending off! Simple!!

No need for it in the game! To be fair the cheap shot merchants are normally the cowards!!

yea i remember that as well, it was definitely mathers

Webb is your text book niggly, cheap shot merchant who displays many school bully "qualities", particularly being able to dish out the cheap shots but bleating when he's on the receiving end. As a previous poster already pointed out, there are a few at it in the league at the moment. I'd like to see it clamped down.

Cameron Smith was the player guilty in SOO 3 for kneeing Jarrod Hayne in the act of scoring a try.