Sua'ali'i hit in Rugby Union Yellow or Red?

[palitu]

taking the bias's out of the Sua'ali'i hit, i actually thought it could have been mitigated in Union.

Sua'ali'i was bent, maybe not enough, definitely not late. but i think the biggest thing was Walsh was falling significantly, meaning that whilst it was a high shot, it wasn't really reckless or foul play, just a victim of circumstances. Regardless of what Walsh did on the ground, that really should not have been taken into account.

[jargan83]

The arm was tucked, no attempt or intent to wrap an arm and he wasn't in control because he effectively became a missile.

Straight Red.

[GIGS20]

taking the bias's out of the Sua'ali'i hit, i actually thought it could have been mitigated in Union.Sua'ali'i was bent, maybe not enough, definitely not late. but i think the biggest thing was Walsh was falling significantly, meaning that whilst it was a high shot, it wasn't really reckless or foul play, just a victim of circumstances. Regardless of what Walsh did on the ground, that really should not have been taken into account.Attachment 6301

I think the mitigation is a roll of the dice.He was "always high" which means that mitigation can be ignored and it's safe to assume he'll be Jordie Barrett high profile, playing for the Tahs and an assumed Wallaby.The judiciary has proven to be inconsistent in those circumstances.He might get a 2 week ban reduced to 1 after attending tackle school but he also might get let off scot free with an apology and the ref questioning whether he wants to continue.

[palitu]

The arm was tucked, no attempt or intent to wrap an arm and he wasn't in control because he effectively became a missile.

Straight Red.

i had attached a screenshot, but failed. it is fixed now.

I totally disagree with tucked. see fixed screenshot, and this one:


Attachment 6303

btw, i am grabbing screencaps from the xitter video i found on the ABC news

[palitu]

I think the mitigation is a roll of the dice.He was "always high" which means that mitigation can be ignored and it's safe to assume he'll be Jordie Barrett high profile, playing for the Tahs and an assumed Wallaby.The judiciary has proven to be inconsistent in those circumstances.He might get a 2 week ban reduced to 1 after attending tackle school but he also might get let off scot free with an apology and the ref questioning whether he wants to continue.

i guess that is where the only conjecture could be. as it was not an upright tackle, and looking at the screen cap, he is definitely bent. I would expect that he would have been between the belly and nipples if Walsh wasnt falling.

[palitu]

i had attached a screenshot, but failed. it is fixed now.

I totally disagree with tucked. see fixed screenshot, and this one:
Attachment 6303

i just looked at it closer, and Walshes legs are straight, and his seem to be below Sau'xxx'xx''ii' knees. it is pretty hard to get that low. maybe it is a weird artifact of camera angles?

[GIGS20]

i just looked at it closer, and Walshes legs are straight, and his seem to be below Sau'xxx'xx''ii' knees. it is pretty hard to get that low. maybe it is a weird artifact of camera angles?

looking at it live (and not really caring enough to chase it down) I wouldn't have said he was that low.

Yes he was dipping, but for RU Sua'ali'i was always high. Remember, that height seems to be completely legal in RL I'm sure somebody can post multiple images of other shots in that game that were as high that weren't even questioned.

I think, if Walsh hadn't slipped after he dropped deliberately, the hit would have been high chest/neck legsal in RL, risky in RU.

For the record. Blues watcher (can't bring myself to say fan anymore)

[jargan83]

i had attached a screenshot, but failed. it is fixed now.

I totally disagree with tucked. see fixed screenshot, and this one:


Attachment 6303

btw, i am grabbing screencaps from the xitter video i found on the ABC news

https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/s/EUrzyjwdd4

Even if you want to argue the "arm was tucked" it was by his side and he leads with the shoulder, direct contact with the head and I don't think he's fallen that far at the point of contact.

I'm as blue as blue can be at Origin time but it's straight red.

[Hansie]

Definitely yellow on review.

I am sure it would go to Red, careless, maybe reckless, no wrapping of arms. Mitigation may be Walsh dipping and Sualii not able to get low enough in time.

[shasta]

On what the officials were confronted with they had to come to straight red. However and here I'll admit to a dislike of Walsh on past behaviour; seeing how he left the field and spent the remainder of the match, I find it difficult to reconcile that with him laying prone, eyes shut for over 30 seconds. So I'm a little suspicious as unfortunately players "laying down" has become endemic.
Had that not happened, I'm pretty convinced mitigation would have seen a 10 minute sin bin.
I might be totally unjust there but I'm basing it on my concussion experiences a long time ago. One particularly severe episode where I had to be carried off and don't recall anything prior to coming round in hospital. I was sick for a week.

Only he will know - and always will.

[jargan83]

On what the officials were confronted with they had to come to straight red. However and here I'll admit to a dislike of Walsh on past behaviour; seeing how he left the field and spent the remainder of the match, I find it difficult to reconcile that with him laying prone, eyes shut for over 30 seconds. So I'm a little suspicious as unfortunately players "laying down" has become endemic.
Had that not happened, I'm pretty convinced mitigation would have seen a 10 minute sin bin.
I might be totally unjust there but I'm basing it on my concussion experiences a long time ago. One particularly severe episode where I had to be carried off and don't recall anything prior to coming round in hospital. I was sick for a week.

Only he will know - and always will.

I saw something yesterday that said Walsh was ruled out the Bronco's next 2 fixtures so he probably was/is seriously concussed.

[shasta]

I saw something yesterday that said Walsh was ruled out the Bronco's next 2 fixtures so he probably was/is seriously concussed.

Bronx have a 6 day turn around and there is a mandatory 11 day stand down for cat 1 concussion and players who fail a HIA. It does not apply where a player is assessed as cat 2 or 3 and passes a HIA - as Walsh did on Wednesday.

[Burgs]

To be fair Shasta, you wouldn't have had the benefit of hindsight in making the decision.
You would have been faced with a bloke flat on his back having seen him knocked out cold before he hit the ground from a shoulder to the face.
I have almost zero doubt he was out before he hit the ground. Whether he took longer to get up, well maybe but most do under those circumstances.
My thoughts when he came back to the sideline and particularly post match was "he's still in lala land".
Have witnessed a few similar situations, probably the most disturbing was watching my Winger stumbling in circles under the posts giggling 50m from play having had a shocker like this one about 10 minutes earlier.

Sua'ali'i has arguably already made a ROI for RA by exposing the RL community to an acceptance of such tackles. "5,000 mums" have just said "No way my boy is playing that, I'll let him play Union". (These hypothetical mums don't know Sua'ali'i is moving to Union...).

Have just asked a recently retired Union Ref mate for his take, will be interesting and will report.

Going by the wailing on Twitter during the match though, I think the Poll here needs an option of "You're kidding me? Fair play, play on! F*ck Klein!!"

[Burgs]

Kevin Walters calls for longer ban as Joseph Sua'ali'i accepts four-match suspension for State of Origin high tackle on Reece Walsh

In short:
Joseph Sua'ali'i has accepted a four-match suspension following his high shot on Reece Walsh.
Sua'ali'i was sent off in the eighth minute of State of Origin I.
What's next? Sua'ali'i is effectively ruled out of the remainder of the State of Origin series.

Brisbane Broncos coach Kevin Walters has called on the NRL to come down harder on high shots after Joseph Sua'ali'i accepted a four-week suspension offered for his high shot on Reece Walsh in State of Origin I.

Sua'ali'i, making his State of Origin debut for NSW, was sent off in the eighth minute of the series opener after making contact with Walsh's head when he attempted a tackle that left Queensland fullback knocked out on the grass.

Blues star apologises for hit on Walsh
Maroons champs have accused New South Wales of deliberately targeting Reece Walsh, after the young gun was knocked out in a sickening hit.

The Sydney Roosters confirmed on Friday Sua'ali'i had entered an early guilty plea to the grade-two reckless high tackle charge and will be sidelined until round 19 of the NRL season.

He risked being suspended for five matches if he unsuccessfully challenged the charge at the judiciary.

But Walters said it was not enough as he prepares for another month without his superstar fullback in Brisbane, adding to Walsh's lay-off with a broken eye socket after a violent head clash with Penrith's Taylan May in similar circumstances in round three.

"That's the second time it's happened, and four weeks, for me, is not enough," he said at Broncos training.

"That's twice now and the first time [May] didn't even get sin-binned or suspended, nothing.

"We want our great players to play, and it's not about toughness, because Reece is as tough as any player in the game. But four weeks for ironing a bloke out the way he did, that's not enough for mine."

Reece Walsh puts his arm around coach Kevin Walters at Brisbane Broncos NRL training.
Reece Walsh (left) still sports the scars on his left eye from his last nasty knockout.(AAP: Darren England)
Walsh will miss the next two Broncos games as they fall within the mandatory 11-day break after concussions, and then will presumably go straight back into Queensland camp for State of Origin II, meaning his next match under Walters will be round 17 against the Warriors at the earliest.

"The NRL have got to protect him and be harder on the suspensions," he said.

"This stuff happens in the game and it's got to be policed well. It was policed well on Wednesday night but I just thought they could've gone a bit harder with the suspension."

Walters said "teams have been targeting the better players for a long time" but he was worried about players "crossing the line".

"It's not right for me to try and feel what [the Blues'] plan was but I saw what their actions were," he said.

While not enough to satisfy Walters, Sua'ali'i's ban effectively rules him out of the remainder of the State of Origin series as he would not be available for the Roosters until the weekend before the third and final game in Brisbane on July 17.

Speaking on Thursday, Sua'ali'i, who will move to rugby union at the end of the NRL season, said he was "disappointed at letting my family, my state and my teammates [down]".

"I didn't mean that at all, I just went there to go and tackle (Walsh)," Sua'ali'i said.

Reece Walsh was ruled out of the remainder of the match after displaying category-one concussion symptoms.(Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)
"I accidentally clipped his head and I hope he is doing all right. I haven't reached out to him yet but it's something I'll do."

Maroons officials were fuming after their 38-10 win in the series opener at Stadium Australia, with assistant coach Johnathan Thurston accusing the Blues of targeting Walsh.

Walsh played no further part in the match due to concussion protocols.

"Everyone has seen it and it was unfortunate for Sua'ali'i making his debut," Thurston said.

"It was direct, forceful contact to the head and they clearly had a target on (Walsh) … the officials had no other option."

Blues coach Michael Maguire described the suggestion his team went after Walsh as "ridiculous".

"They've (Maroons) got their opinions but I'll hold my tongue on that one," he said.

"He was just going out to make a tackle and Reece was slipping as Joey was going down. It was an unfortunate act."

Amid debate about whether Sua'ali'i should have been sent off, retired NSW State of Origin representative Josh Mansour said referee Ashley Klein made the correct call.

"I know it was a big pivotal moment, it definitely changed the game [and] the series but unfortunately it was the right decision," he told ABC NRL Daily.

In other judiciary news following State of Origin I, Sua'ali'i's Blues teammate Isaah Yeo accepted a fine after entering an early guilty plea for a careless high tackle charge.

ABC/AAP

[shasta]

To be fair Shasta, you wouldn't have had the benefit of hindsight in making the decision.

Which is why I said.......

On what the officials were confronted with they had to come to straight red

I thought that made it clear that I cant fault the officials. I obviously read his appearance after going off different to a lot of people (except Chopper anyway) - and conceded I could be totally unjust and don't like the bloke.