If a player is suspended for one week and only one week leading into a Grand Final or possibly a Final, he should be allowed to serve that suspension the following year.
Although it is a suspension, one week implies it was for a relatively minor indiscretion. I agree they should serve a week, but to miss the grand final is awfully tough.
With the way the league is looking to clean up the game, it can be quite easy to slip and infringe on the rules. Perhaps a bit of leniancy from the NRL is the order of the day.
This sort of strict enforcement is heart-breaking for the player and diminishes the game's biggest spectacle - the Grand Final.
Replies
Agree.
Sterlo is right, not all games are equal. But justice is equal, and that's what matters. Why call for a different rule for Isaac Luke because, ya know, it's inconvenient to him to get punished, while we all sit around gob smacked at Dogs players always seeming to have a different rule for them?
I think you’ve answered your own question there, Professor.
The fact that we do sit gobsmacked at the leniency of Dogs judgements is precisely why Luke should be judged in the same way.
To adopt a ‘hanging judge’ attitude in one case and a kindergarten teacher’s in another, just doesn’t add up.
The Dogs have had 10 seasons’ worth of very favourable calls this year to get them where they are. With Isaac Luke’s suspension, they’re getting another one.
Brett, I agree Isaac Luke should not have been charged. I'm not convicted SBW was put in a dangerous position and SBW said so too! But we should not conflate the two issues of guilty or not guilty with how to serve time if judged guilty.
However if they commit a serious offence that carries multiple weeks even without carry over points then they should be suspended. To miss a GF over something minor is a travesty IMO.
Eg 10 min sin bin instead of miss next game
Illegally smashing a roosters player disadvantaged the roosters not the dogs
Why should the dogs benefit and why should roosters not benefit
Have the panel review reports immediately and decide on sin bin in current game
I agree 100%, Matty Johns made a good point on the weekend that they should consider a weighting system depending on the stature of the game IE: club game, City / Country, Origin, Semi's. Final & GF the league a apply weighting value for the importance of that game. Say a club game is weighted at 100points, city/ country 150points, Origin 200points, semi's final 200 points & GF 300points. This way you can still have carry over points but because of the weighting of the game on let's say a grade 1 charge you will still be able to play.
Whilst Luke tackle was careless I think he deserves the chance to play in a GF, but there again he did get charged for a similar offence earlier in the season.