David EdwardsCameron Smith Grapples with Reality
September 25th 2008 03:45
It took a mere nineteen minutes for the NRL judiciary to find Cameron Smith guilty of wrenching Sam Thaiday's head from his shoulders, in order to satiate his own personal renegade against opposition players' craniums.
Smith has been spoken of as possessing one of the NRL's finest "rugby league brains", with his high standing in the game testament to what he has achieved at such a young age. The recent grapple saga has dented his reputation and left other players questioning the very brain that has been commonly held in such high regard until now.
If you read the NRL constitution you will see, in bold Comic Sans MS font, that section 108 clearly outlaws the use of any form of grapple tackle, chicken wing, or close attention to the head:
"The NRL does not condone the following tackles: The grapple tackle, the “Christmas Hold”, the “Chicken Wing” (or any form of eating technique exercised when enjoying barbequed poultry) or the spear tackle. The Honourable Judge who presides over the judiciary hearing may exercise Common law decisions where appropriate. Reference may be made to Hopoate vs the NRL (2002), Ritson v Lomax (1994), and, in a famous external precedent, all “Christmas Hold” cases may be referred to the Rugby Union's cases involving Richard Loe v IRB (1988, 89, 90, 92, 94). In regards to Chicken Wing cases; CCTV footage from George St KFC may be used as evidence against the defendant”
Cameron Smith has dared the NRL to act and the NRL has gleefully responded to his challenge. Smith expressed his sorrow at a media conference this morning, saying:
"I was very confident i would get off the charge. The rulebook is generally thrown out the window during the finals series, so to se the NRL make a decision in the best interests of the game is very disappointing indeed. Not just for me personally, but for the game.
"The grapple is a part of our game now and i believe the Constitution needs to be changed.
"This is just what the NRL needs, another reason for players to head overseas. In Rugby Union you can kick, stomp, eye gouge, pull dreadlocks, defecate, basically anything goes on in those rucks and mauls. Rugby League needs to take itself of this pedestal and get realistic, the threat of players leaving to go and legally grapple overseas is very high."
Danny Weidler asked Sonny Bill Williams about the grapple tackle syndrome in part II of his SBW interview yesterday but was unable to draw comment from the cagey Williams. SportingMind contacted SBW today for further comment, but was told that he was off enjoying a wine and cheese tasting at the small French Riviera village "Villefranche-sur-Mer".
-SportingMind
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