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American Actors Once Again Inferior to Australians in Their Ability to Have a Genuine Punch-On

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American Actors Once Again Inferior to Australians in Their Ability to Have a Genuine Punch-On

DYOR Dave

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It was the slap that was heard around the world. Will Smith delivered an open palm to the unsuspecting cheek of Chris Rock, but that was it.

One measly slap that couldn’t even knock a man two feet smaller than him off balance? Sure no one had ever slapped anyone on stage at the Oscars before, but is this really as newsworthy as the Americans think it is?

I’ve seen harder slaps on a pokies machine, I’ve seen tougher fights at kindergartens, it’s no wonder America have lost just about all of the wars they’ve started in the last 50 years.

These ‘actors’ should be able to unlock the full spectrum of human emotion, and that’s the best he could come up with?

Maybe it’s time that Will learnt a thing or two from our great Australian actors, like Errol Flynn, Russell Crowe and Sam Worthington.

Rusty is a world-renowned actor who’s universally respected, incidentally, the man knows how to throw a few. So much so that he was once blackmailed with a 24-minute video of Crowe punching out outside a Coffs Harbour pub.

Rusty’s colourful history also includes a brawl with ex-NZ Warriors owner Eric Watson at a London Restaurant, as well as having a go at his then security guard Spud Carroll on the set of Cinderella Man.

Similarly, Sam Worthington achieved worldwide fame as the protagonist in Avatar allegedly on the back of his ability to swing.

He showcased this ability in 2015 when he and his partner Lara Bingle assaulted a paparazzi photographer in New York. A true Aussie power couple.

 

The tradition of Aussie actors getting in biffs dates back more than half a century, with pioneering star Errol Flynn well known for his fighting abilities.

In 1927, Flynn relaxed on days off from filming by becoming an amateur boxer, earning himself a reputation for being one of the more agile competitors in the heavyweight category.

In 1945 at a party in LA, Flynn challenged Maltese Falcon star John Huston to a bare-knuckle fight, where he knocked down Huston 10 times in the hour-long bout and left Huston bloodied and bruised.

The fight gained so much news in the US that the death of Italian dictator Mussolini was pushed to the second page of newspapers.

Sure, Will Smith and Chris Rock have been in numerous staged fights that have been seen by millions around the world, but they pale in comparison to the lived experience of just about every Aussie actor in the industry.

One look at Russell Crowe in Romper Stomper or Flynn in Gentleman Jim and you’ll know that this man isn’t just fighting to act, he’s fighting to live.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #352 – Yarn Proof

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The Empire is Finally Falling – How England Will become Irrelevant in the Next 5 years

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The Empire is Finally Falling – How England Will become Irrelevant in the Next 5 years

DYOR Dave

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There was once a saying that described the domination of British influence over the world, “The sun never sets on the British Empire.”

The 19th century saying referred not only to British influence throughout the world but also its vast colonial empire which meant that at any time, it would be daylight in one of their occupied territories.

While England is still seen as a major player on the world stage in 2022, no one can argue that their influence is shrinking in all the places that matter.

Once revered as the home of cricket, England have slumped to an embarrassing five consecutive Test series losses, and now sit halfway down the test rankings at #5, an all-time low for them.

Having only achieved one win in their last 17 outings, and with an astoundingly average lineup of players, there’s no doubt that their downward spiral is only just getting started.

The results aren’t much better in Rugby Union, with their national side finishing with only four wins over their last two six nations tournaments, including a second last-placed finish in 2021.

The Super League remains essentially just a lower division of the NRL where players go to retire and score crumpets after their time has run out in Australia, so there’s not much hope there either.

Now, you might be thinking that these are mere sporting achievements and that they carry little significance in the grand scheme of geopolitics.

Well, if you’re not aware of the inextricable link between a nations sporting success and the relationship to overall national supremacy, then what are you even doing here?

There’s a reason Americans like to call all their national league winners ‘World Champions.’ It reinforces their view of themselves as heroes and global saviours, when in reality they’re mainly just a country that loves to sniff their own farts.

Charles looking excited for his turn on the throne
Charles looking excited for his turn on the throne

 

But back to England, and it’s not just the sporting realm where things are starting to look shaky, with the inevitable collapse of the royal family edging closer every day.

Recently, William and Kate toured the Caribbean, where they were met with nonstop protests, savage media coverage, and canceled appearances.

These actions follow the recent decision by Jamaica to abandon the monarchy and remove the Queen as their head of state, just as Barbados did the previous year and Belize are currently considering.

While the Queen is still the head of state in 14 countries, including New Zealand, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Australia, many countries are moving into the future and looking to abandon their colonial roots.

There’s a strong Australian anti-monarchy movement, spearheaded by Peter Fitzsimons of dribbling all over newspaper pages in a red bandana fame, and the issue is sure to be debated at the upcoming election.

Add on a quickly shrinking empire to a pedophile prince, an heir that abandoned his family, and a Queen that I’m pretty sure is already dead, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

In the coming year, Prince Charles will likely take the throne, ending Elizabeth’s 70-year reign, and taking another step towards irrelevancy.

The British power and influence has been exponentially fading for over 50 years now, ever since the Beatles stopped touring, and now as it rapidly increases towards its ultimate demise, there’s nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the show.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #351 – Leading Men

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Fan Controlled Football is the latest Gimmick in America and it Makes the Big Bash look like a Hallowed Tradition

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Fan Controlled Football is the latest Gimmick in America and it Makes the Big Bash look like a Hallowed Tradition

DYOR Dave

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Fan Controlled Football is the latest revelation in American sports, giving viewers the opportunity to influence the game and rich celebrities another outlet to waste their money on.

First launched in 2021, the league now features 8 teams including the 8oki football club (owned by Steve Aoki and 888 crypto), the Glacier Boyz (owned by Migos rapper Quavo), The Zappers, and the Bored Ape Football Club just to name a few.

With 7 players on each team, a 50 yard field, and no kicking or special teams, the format promises a more entertaining product for the fans, and one they can get involved in.

The games are live-streamed on twitch, where viewers are able to vote on which plays to run in offense, as well as voting on decisions that have been sent to a replay referral.

The gimmicks don’t end there, with a wealth of extra incentives to keep eyes fixed on the action, like a game of Rock Paper Scissors instead of the coin toss, as well as three power-ups which include an extra down, removing an opposition player, and moving the ball back to the oppositions 10-yard line.

 

Instead of conversions, fans will each select one Wide Receiver and one player to defend. The Quarterback has three seconds to throw the ball and a point is awarded if successful from 5 yards, and two points for 10 yards.

If these rules weren’t already weird enough, the team’s rosters reset every week, with a draft deciding who plays where, apart from the two franchised players each team is allowed.

The 2022 season is set to kick off on April 16, and after a few months of regular-season rounds, the winners of the two divisions, the OGs, and the Ballerz, will face off in the final.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #351 – Leading Men

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Pakistani Education Rates Fall to a Historic Low After Batsmen Selfishly Avoid Hitting Sixes Into KFC Scholarship Bucket

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Pakistani Education Rates Fall to a Historic Low After Batsmen Selfishly Avoid Hitting Sixes Into KFC Scholarship Bucket

DYOR Dave

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As we reach the final day of the Osaka Tik-Tok Benau-Qadir Trophy Sponsored By Taphal Tea and Dawlance Home Appliances, we reflect back on a series that saw more batting than a teenagers bedroom.

You would think that this surplus of batting would surely lead to at least one ball hit towards a giant target on the boundary line, but much like the rest of this series, you would be disappointed.

The historic first test series in Pakistan for over 25 years was nevertheless celebrated by local fans, who were treated to many exciting additions including the charity KFC bucket.

Situated just outside the boundary line, the novelty oversized bucket has been provided by KFC as part of their scholarship program, and have promised one higher education scholarship for every six hit into the bucket.

Unfortunately, not a single ball has been hit even close to it, leaving many Pakistani youths worried about their future prospects.

Pakistan already has a troublingly low literacy rate of around 55%, although experts predicted that this figure would have been significantly increased by the limitless scholarship potential from KFC’s generous offer.

However, due to the incompetence and downright selfishness of Australian and Pakistani batsmen, KFC and Pakistani schools have had to throw away the textbooks, laptops, and stationery that would have been provided to the children had any sixes been hit.

Some critics have placed the blame on KFC and say that they specifically positioned the bucket in a tough area to reach so that fewer children would be educated and more would end up working at their restaurants.

With just one day of play left to produce a result for both the series and the children’s future, the hope of a positive outcome for either is quickly fading.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #351 – Leading Men

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Presenting the 2022 NRL Food XIII

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Presenting the 2022 NRL Food XIII

DYOR Dave

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Rugby League has long been known for producing some of the greatest names ever seen in sporting history, and the current crop of NRL stars is no different.

While names like Fuifui Moi Moi, Will Smith, and former Souths player Ed Murphy will always have a special place in the hearts of dribblers, there’s also a strong contingent of food-related names within our league.

If you’ve ever been watching a game of footy and suddenly felt hungry, it could be due to the subtle yet noticeable prevalence of players named after different food items.

So without further ado, I hereby present to the punter and the dribbler, The NRL Food XIII.

 

1. Rocco Berry

2. David Mead

3. Herbie Farnworth

4. Patrick Herbert

5. Jaemen Salmon

6. Scott Drinkwater

7. Daly Cherry Evans

8. Payne Hass

9. Brandon Smith

10. Aaron Pene

11. Bronson Garlick

12. Corey Oates

13. Tyrone Peachey

14. Fletcher Baker

15. Nat Butcher

16. Egan Butcher

17. Damien Cook

 

Entree/Breakfast is a healthy serving of Oates with a fruit compote made of (Rocco) Berry, (Daly) Cherry, (Tyrone) Peaches, as well as a slice of toast with Hass avocado.

Moving onto the main course we have a pasta dish of Salmon Pene with Cheese and Garlick, topped with two types of Herbs (Herbie and Herbert)

While some dietary experts recommend that you should Drinkwater alongside your meals, a few glasses of Mead will be sure to liven up the culinary experience.

The meals would obviously be prepared by the bench, which is made up of two butchers, a baker, and a cook, while the entire occasion would be hosted by none other than Jacob Host.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #350 – Trundle Beds

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It Only Took One Week of Rugby League and Already it Looks Like the War is Ending

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It Only Took One Week of Rugby League and Already it Looks Like the War is Ending

DYOR Dave

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Since 1908 many have theorised that the great game of Rugby League could be the answer, and now there’s more evidence than ever. Less than a month ago, dribblers around the world were anxiously watching as Russia invaded Ukraine, fearing that the conflict could spill over and have global repercussions. Now, as we eagerly await the second round of the NRL season, all signs are pointing towards a relatively peaceful resolution to this immense crisis.

Reports suggest that Russia and Ukraine are edging closer towards a neutrality agreement which could see an end to the bloodshed. I’m no geopolitical analyst, but it’s plainly obvious that the opening round of Rugby League football in all its glory caused a shift in perspective from Vladimir Putin and allowed cooler heads to prevail.

The fake news mainstream media don’t want you to know the solution to global conflict, because they have vested interests in the weapons and defence industries, but here at the Hello Sport Herald, we report on the facts, and it’s there for all to see that Rugby League truly is god’s game.

The stress of the off-season takes its toll on everybody and that anxiety can manifest in different ways. Everyone has their own ways to pass the time. some people watch cricket, others basketball, but it would seem that it makes some want to invade neighbouring countries and kill innocent people.

Now, with the return of the season, the days feel complete again. A structured week of HSP on Mondays and Thursdays, lineups on Tuesdays, dribble Wednesdays and Thursday – Sunday pure bliss. The ambivalent wandering of weeks in the off-season is now over, and the easy satisfaction of outsourcing your internal calendar to the footy schedule sets in.

After a weekend of hard-hitting footy which included more upsets than you can throw a grenade at, Putin was relaxed and calm, allowing him to come to the table for peace talks. The entire conflict may have been resolved by Sunday night after an exciting match that saw the Eels beat the Titans 32-28. Unfortunately, the dreadful bottom 8 footy of the Bulldogs v Cowboys match left the Russian President unsatisfied.

But after a week of absolute dribble that included the Mayo Man Buzz Rothfield apologising on air one night and then exploding in a tirade against a fellow panelist the next, a neutrality agreement looks likely. Dribblers around the world are praying for a top-quality weekend of Rugby League, which could ultimately bring peace to Eastern Europe.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #347 – Stargazers

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Will the NASA Designed ‘Smart Balls’ Fix our Referee Woes?

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Will the NASA Designed ‘Smart Balls’ Fix our Referee Woes?

DYOR Dave

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Since the start of the Super Rugby season two weeks ago, the sport has stepped forward with possibly the biggest innovation to the game of Rugby Union since they banned shin-kicking in 1863.

The balls used in matches have been carrying a small chip that can feed a wealth of information back to coaches, broadcasters, and referees in real-time.

The balls were designed by Gilbert in conjunction with Sportable CTO and former NASA scientist Dr. Pete Husemeyer, and feature an RFID chip that broadcasts to eight receivers in the stadium.

Sending signals 20 times per second, the information is then run through algorithms and sent out instantly, detailing things like hang-time on kicks, how hard and fast a ball is kicked, and how long a pass is.

While Super Rugby broadcasters are currently assessing the data to develop a consumable projection, the technology has far deeper implications that could solve an age-old problem.

With accurate information about the ball’s movements, we could receive definitive answers about forward passes, knock-ons, and if worn on players, offsides.

The refereeing blunders of our day could soon be over, as Sportable are already in development talks with the NRL as well as trialing forward-pass technology in the NRLW.

 

 

The real question here is: Will these Smart Balls finally make dribblers happy? The answer, Of course not.

Does anyone really think that fans will stop complaining every time a call doesn’t go their way just because of some fancy new technology?

It’ll be less than one half of footy before dribblers online and in pubs start talking shit about how the technology doesn’t work and is somehow still biased.

It’ll be less than two rounds before a text message goes around claiming “my cousin’s nephew’s friend’s hairdresser’s boyfriend’s brother works for the company and says that the boss is a huge Sharks fan and always gives them the winning calls.”

The balls may make the jobs of refs a lot easier, but it will only shift the blame onto someone else, most likely the scientists and still, the NRL themselves.

For the refs, it’ll take the pressure off the finer details and allow them to better manage the game, but there’s still one thing we can always count on.

Rugby League dribblers will never stop dribbling, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #347 – Stargazers

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The Mayo Report: ‘Sorry I was Wrong, But Everyone Else is Still Way More Wrong Than I Have Ever Been’

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The Mayo Report: ‘Sorry I Was Wrong, But Everyone Else is Still Way More Wrong Than I Have Ever Been’

DYOR Dave

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The first weekend of Rugby League action provided plenty of upsets and surprises, although the most shocking of revelations came during NRL 360 on Monday night, where the Mayo Man himself Buzz Rothfield actually owned up to a mistake and apologised.

Last Monday, Buzz spread a thick layer of mayo over a story about the Bulldogs’ supposed lack of training technologies when James Hooper said “Just about every club uses drones now”

Rothfield then replied whilst dripping in egg, oil and vinegar: “Yeah Well Canterbury Don’t.”

Gould, clearly not a fan of mayo, responded almost immediately, posting two videos to his Twitter of drone footage from Bulldogs training, as well as one of the players reviewing said drone footage.

While Buzz is no stranger to being proven wrong on a weekly basis, he was essentially forced into an on-air apology by NRL 360 co-hosts Braith Anasta and Michael Ennis.

Deflecting the blame immediately, Buzz said, “You’ve got to put your hand up here, I got some bum mail last week, I got my wires crossed and I said Canterbury didn’t train with a drone.”

For a moment it seemed like Buzz was having a genuine moment of self-reflection and humility, but he soon returned to regular scheduled programming and unloaded on Gus Gould, the man who proved him wrong.

“You know what we all make mistakes – I’ll tell you about Gus, Gus sacked Ivan Cleary as a coach, didn’t think he could win a comp. that was a mistake… You know what else Gus did, He extended Anthony Griffin for three years and ten weeks later sacked him, and cost Penrith 1.5 million to pay him out, he makes mistakes too.”

 

He finished off his solemn and respectful admission with a clearly genuine apology: “I apologise, are you happy?”

After the show, reports suggest that the Mayo Man was spotted in the corner of his office, crying in the fetal position, his body apparently sent into shock by the admittance of any personal fault.

Hello Sport Herald has since caught up with Mr Mayo, who is now calling out the unfair treatment he is facing, for breaking essentially the only rule of journalism – don’t lie.

“I don’t see why I’m the one copping it when it was Gus who didn’t shout a round of drinks at the Penrith League’s club in September 1971, I mean who’s the real criminal here?”

The Mayo Man continued, “I may have been wrong about the Bulldogs, Gus Gould, and most of the other things I’ve said in my career, but right now Vladimir Putin is committing war crimes in Eastern Europe, so to call me out while that is going on is nothing short of pure evil, and I won’t stand for it.”

The feud between Gould and Rothfield is an exciting prospect for fans, as they can now enjoy the titanic clash of thoroughbreds during matches on the weekend, and also witness a battle equivalent to a 300-year-old tortoise against a one-armed sloth during the week.

It is unclear whether Rothfield apologised out of genuine remorse, or whether Gould is currently blackmailing him with even more pictures of Buzz alongside strippers, but fans will be eagerly waiting to see if this trend continues, or if Buzz goes back to his old ways.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #347 – Stargazers

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Max King – Making Celibacy Great Again

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Max King – Making Celibacy Great Again

DYOR Dave

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There was once a time when those who took the noble vow of celibacy were considered societal leaders and morally superior.

Alas, the noble tradition has fallen away in our modern times, replaced with temptations, instant gratifications, and ideas of sex pushed to us through every available screen.

Still, some of those strong enough to maintain abstinence have gone on to achieve great things, such as cornflake inventor John Kellogg, and Philosopher Immanuel Kant, who both not only practiced celibacy, but also denied themselves self-pleasure… yikes.

On the lighter end, NFL stars Tim Tebow and Russel Wilson both maintained their celibacy until marriage, as did Drummer Zak Hanson of “Mmmbop” fame.

And so this brings us to the NRL’s very own virgin king – Max King that is – who has made the brave announcement to the media that he’ll be saving himself until marriage due to his Catholic beliefs.

I’m usually the last person to applaud decisions based on conservative religious beliefs, but this harmless decision is a welcome refreshment compared to the usually abhorrent views pushed by similarly religious fanatics.

In a league that’s well known for its prevalence of sexual debauchery, compounded with the fact that Max is a decent-looking bloke, the decision to remain abstinent should be seen as a triumph of will, a welcome bit of diversity, and a positive message for young fans.

 

Recently the NRL took part in the Mardi Gras parade for the 7th time, and although this parade flies in the face of many conservative religious beliefs, it doesn’t mean our league isn’t welcome to those who subscribe to religious belief systems, provided they equally respect the beliefs of others (not share insta posts about people going to hell).

King described the positive environment at the Bulldogs that seems a far cry from a previous Dogs culture, “I talk openly about it with the boys and they respect me for who I am…I don’t mind the boys taking the piss, I’m fine with it, because I’ll be taking the piss out of them for something… I know it’s not personal, I know a lot of the boys do respect it.’’

A fourth-generation footballer and grandson of 7-time premiership winner Johnny King, Max has played 50 NRL games for the Titans and the Storm, but missed the 2021 season due to Achilles surgery.

Now part of the Bulldogs’ impressive 2022 roster, he hopes to earn himself a starting jersey and become a more permanent fixture in the NRL.

His decision to remain celibate seems to justify his move from the Storm to the Bulldogs, as the Storm fucking every team they played would not have sat well with the second-rower, who appears much more comfortable with the Bulldogs.

King isn’t the first NRL player to come out as celibate, after Australia and NSW representative Jason Stevens published his book “Worth the Wait,” detailing his views and justifications for pre-marital celibacy.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #347 – Stargazers

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The NRL Snuck Through Judiciary Changes Hours Before Last Night’s Game – Here’s Everything You Need to Know

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The NRL Snuck Through Judiciary Changes Hours Before Last Nights Game – Here’s Everything You Need to Know

DYOR Dave

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The NRL has announced an overhaul of the judiciary system just hours before the first kickoff of the 2021 season, with an aim to create a more transparent process while easing the burden on players themselves.

The irony of aiming for transparency while sneaking through rule changes when fans aren’t paying attention seems to have been lost on the NRL, although there are still many genuine upsides for players in the new system.

The judiciary panel and match review committee will now feature former coaches and referees, as well as players, and an explanation will now be provided to the public by the judiciary chairman following each decision.

Additionally, videos and guides demonstrating the criteria for charges and gradings will be made available to teams in order to better educate players and help them change problematic techniques.

In welcome news for the likes of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Tevita Pangai Jnr, all players will begin 2022 on a clean slate, while the carry-over points system has been completely abandoned.

Instead, all grade one offences will carry a fine – apart from reckless high tackles which start at grade 4 – and a set amount of matches is prescribed to each charge, with players able to shorten the suspension by a week through an early guilty plea.

The charges have been designated into eight categories, shown in the table below:

OFFENCE GRADE       1ST OFFENCE (Early plea in brackets)     2ND OFFENCE (Early plea in brackets)         3RD OFFENCE (Early plea in brackets) High Tackle – Careless 1 $1500 ($1000) $2500 ($1800) 2 matches ($3000)   2 2 matches (1) 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3)   3 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4) High Tackle – Reckless  4 (1) # 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4) 6 matches (5)   5 (2)  5 matches (4) 6 matches (5) 7 matches (6)   6 (3) 6 matches (5) 7 matches (6) 8 matches (7) Dangerous Contact 1 $1500 ($1000) $2500 ($1800) 2 matches ($3000)   2 2 matches (1) 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3)   3 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4) Dangerous Throw 1 $1500 ($1000) 2 matches ($2500) 3 matches (2)   2 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4)   3 5 matches (4) 6 matches (5) 7 matches (6) Striking 1 $2000 ($1500) 2 matches ($3000) 4 matches (3)   2 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4)   3 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4) 6 matches (5) Crusher Tackle 1 $2000 ($1500) 2 matches ($3000) 4 matches (3)   2 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4)   3 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4) 6 matches (5) Contrary Conduct 1 $1500 ($1000) $2500 ($1800) 2 matches ($3000)   2 2 matches (1) 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3)   3 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4) Shoulder Charge 1 $2000 ($1500) 2 matches ($3000) 4 matches (3)   2 3 matches (2) 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4)   3 4 matches (3) 5 matches (4) 6 matches (5)

 

The changes have come after months of consultation with the Rugby League Players Association, who were unhappy with the current system and did not believe that fines were an adequate deterrent for foul play.

Fines were first introduced as an alternative punishment in order to avoid players missing key matches for minor offences, while simultaneously not overwhelming the judiciary with small charges.

However, the RLPA have been critical of the decision to move grade one shoulder charges and crusher tackles to a finable offence, saying it “is a step backwards in decreasing instances of two of the most dangerous on-field discretions.”

Although the Association is supportive of the new measures that promote transparency in the system, they emphasise the importance of education rather than punishment, to curb instances of illegal actions, “the RLPA maintains the best way to improve the chance of achieving the desired outcomes is through education and training, not punitive measures.”

Player fines rose an enormous 500% in 2021, and the RLPA maintains that there is little evidence to support the theory that fines act as a meaningful deterrent, and that they disproportionately affect lower-income players.

Just as the old saying goes, ‘If the penalty for a crime is a fine, then the law only exists for the lower class.’

The RLPA will continue to examine and consult with the NRL to work towards a more fair and efficient judiciary system in the future.

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

 

Check out the Latest Hello Sport Podcast episode #347 – Stargazers

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