Bring back the biff? - By Mary

Good evening everyone,

Due to a very busy evening at work, I unfortunately missed most of Game 2, meaning I won't be able to write a review of the game. Fingers crossed one of the other fabulous females out there can.

However, I did manage to see what will be one of the biggest talking points of the game - namely the decision by the referee's to send off 4 players at the 58th minute. The players sent off for the Blues were Trent Merrin and Greg Bird, whilst for the Maroons it was brent Tate and Justin Hodges. 

To understand the reasons these men were sent off, we need to go back in time to Game 1. 

In the most memorable moment of SOO Game 1 this year, Paul Gallen threw a punch at Nate Myles, claiming that he was retaliating to repeated instances where Myles had employed dirty tactics. There was much debate following this incident with many suggesting that Paul Gallen should have been sent off instead of simply being put on report for a swinging arm, essentially not even being reprimanded for his punch.

In the weeks following Game 1 and also in reaction to another player, Boyd Corner being exonerated at the judiciary after he clearly threw punches at Matt Ryan from the Parramatta Eels, new NRL boss Dave Smith, in conjunction with Daniel Anderson have introduced a rule which seeks to crackdown on fighting. 

The new rule is simple - throw a punch and you are out. Any player that is caught punching an opponent will be automatically sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes, no matter the circumstances.

The reason for this decision is I think, largely to do with transparency. The NRL judiciary, unlike other disciplinary bodies does not need to provide reasons for the decisions it makes. This often leaves NRL commentators, appreciators and fans confused as to why a decision has been made at the judiciary. A good example was Boyd Cordner, I was flabbergasted as to his exoneration following his punching of matt Ryan.

Surely Smith thought that such a rule would need little to no interpretation and that it would be easy for referee's to enforce this consistently across the board.

State of Origin Game 2 gave the referee's their first real test. Yet, following the send off, many fans remained confused. Why was Tate sent off for a push? Did Greg Bird actually throw a punch?

Let's go back to the other issue at hand though - are Smith and Anderson right in trying to get rid of the biff in NRL.

Opinions are divided.

On the one hand, it is argued that Gallen's punch was a poor look for the game. It gave NRL haters another reason to claim it is a sport for Neanderthals and probably damaged efforts to outlaw fighting at a Junior level. There were many reported incidents following that punch where Junior footballers cited Gallen as an excuse for why they had thrown punches at a Junior level. 

This is an argument I find really hard to disagree with. The message cannot be sent to Junior players that it is ok to punch an opponent. While parents and coaches do have an obligation to teach their kids about what is and what isn't correct conduct on the field, it is extremely difficult to say that fighting is an action which will have negative repercussions when our game's superstars don't seem to face those same repercussions at a professional level.

Juniors are so important to our game and the mums and dads out there need to be comfortable allowing their kids to play our game.

However, rather than focusing on the biff, I would suggest that the NRL needs to focus on the tactics that ultimately lead to fighting. It is these tactics which I think are more damaging to our game. These include leading with the knees, swinging arms and knee twists. It is these behaviours that need to be outlawed.

Also, to counter to the argument that the biff is bad for our game, I would suggest that the NRL's bigger problem is the way players are behaving off the field. Kudos to the new NRL integrity unit for all the hard work they are doing in this sphere though.

It seems however, that most NRL fans enjoy a bit of biff - ratings for tonight's game were expected to be record breaking, following the publicity after Gallen's punch. On a stage as important as State of Origin, tension runs high, blood does boil over and passion does lead to players making on the spot decisions.

I think however a tougher stance needs to be taken - in a sport where men are given 8 weeks for head high tackles, surely we think that the punch on is conduct which should be punished in a similar way?

So my question to you readers, is, where do you stand?

Love, 

@LadiesWhoLeague

P.S. Something else to consider is, if there had been an all in brawl, does that mean game over?