Read some reports on the 3rd man in tackles from yesterdays games, along with it being raised a short while ago on the Sunday Footy show.
Two players, Campbell Gillard who has a possible fractured disc or likely a rib being cracked & doing damage to the disc, this tackle was done by Ryan James. The other one was on Cronulla's MIlford, did not catch who the tackler was. Both events were caused by the 3rd man running in with the tackled player held up. One tackler around the legs & the 2nd at front, holding the body up but very noticeable in that the player was twisted to the side exposing his side & rear portion of the back.
While being held up James came in & connected his exposed back what was evident to me was that he used the point of his shoulder as initial contact then the remaining part of the shoulder was drivin into the back of Gillard. The Milford one seemed to be similar but he got up very gingerely & played the ball. Gillard went off.
The experts including freddy flapper mouth & Sam Thatday, said nothing could be done about it & highlighted thats the way it is these days with the tackled players being held. all in the rules etc, but the question to me is why was the old torpedoe tackle outlawed which was from a player diving at the legs especially in the knee area owing to potential serious injury put in place?
The NRL has banned the use of shoulder charges, but it seems to only apply to front on shoulder charge tackles as noticed, but surelly when a player is in a so called tackle & being held up by a tackler with another around the legs he is put in a much greater area of injury with the 3rd man in, like has become an increasing problem. These types of tackles are different to those that have 3 involved almost from the beginning as is more the case.
Thoughts anyone?
Just a bit extra. As I did not really notice the one on Milford cannot say how bad it was, but the one on Gillard was pretty crook from my perspective.
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