In trouble ... Richie Fa'aoso could face a lengthy ban for a shoulder charge. Source: Adam Head / News Limited
The NRL's credibility goes on the line on Monday over its decision to ban the shoulder charge from the game. Any player who puts an opponent on a stretcher in a neck brace by using the now illegal tackle deserves a lengthy suspension.
Manly forward Richie Fa'aoso knocked the Titans' Ashley Harrison unconscious on Saturday night with a shoulder charge.
It was totally unnecessary and avoidable. Harrison was there to be tackled low or around the waist.
Instead Fa'aoso launched himself shoulder first - a sickening collision that created a whiplash effect and a head clash. It left Harrison with no recollection of his 250th game.
The usual suspects will slam me for suggesting the Manly forward has to be suspended.
I'd be looking at anything between two and four weeks.
Don't forget the Titans were reduced to 16 men while Manly stayed at full strength.
Don't forget Harrison's concussion was so severe he will probably miss next weekend as well.
Somehow the message has to be rammed home to players and coaches that the tackle is now illegal.
There are no more excuses.
Players have had the trials and the first couple of rounds to get used to the fact it can no longer be used as a defensive weapon or method of intimidation.
Most have adjusted their games. A number of players have aimed up for shoulder charges but pulled out at the last moment.
The game cannot afford more incidents like we saw on Saturday night.
Harrison is a tough man. He's played State of Origin and club footy for 13 seasons.
So too is Dean Young. In fact they don't get any tougher than these two.
They play hard but fair.
Yet they've both been stretchered from the field unconscious in the past 12 months from shoulder charges.
It's a shocking advertisement for the game.
Replay after replay on television. The front page of The Sunday Telegraph sports section.
The neck brace, the stretcher and a concerned trainer looking over the prostrate player.
Then the headline: "It felt like I was hit by a hammer".
This comes at a time of the year when mums and dads are deciding whether their kids are to play rugby league or another winter sport.
Ricky Stuart wrote an excellent column over the weekend supporting the banning of the tackle.
It was long overdue for a high-profile State of Origin and Kangaroos coach to back the NRL on this issue.
The doctors have been warning us for a long time.
The spokesman for the Rugby League Medical Officers Association of club doctors, orthopaedic surgeon Sam Sorrenti, warned us last year: "It is only a matter of time before there is a major disaster.
"It's very dangerous and if it goes wrong, there can be terrible concussion. There is no point reacting after something has gone wrong. We don't want to turn rugby league into a sissy's game but we have a duty of care for the players' welfare."
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