ARLC chairman Peter V'landys has hit those in opposition to the wholesale crackdown on foul play with a frank rebuttal, declaring it's "crucial" because "you've got a lifetime in retirement".
The ARLC's dramatic shift in how it governs high tackles and other forms of foul play sent thousands of fans and many experts into a frenzy during Magic Round.
Three-time Dally M medallist and Nine commentator Johnathan Thurston was among the fiercest critics of the interpretation overhaul, declaring the game was "built on toughness" and slamming some of Friday night's sin-bins as "ridiculous".
"Come on, this is rugby league," Thurston said.
Eight players were sin-binned across two games on the opening night of Magic Round and, by the end of the weekend, referees had enforced 14 sin-bins and three send offs in the Suncorp Stadium 'carnival'.
V'landys insisted that he had launched the clampdown on foul play for the betterment of players in retirement.
"There is no reason to hit anyone in the head – accidental, wilful or reckless. You just stay away from the head and that's the message you've got to get to these players," V'landys told Ray Hadley on 2GB radio.
"This is for their long-term benefits. You've got a finite period as a player and you've got a lifetime in retirement. We want to give you quality in retirement; we don't want you to have the after-effects of head knocks. That's what it's all about."
V'landys has developed a reputation for being a no-frills, unapologetic and defiant operator in his positions as ARL chairman, Racing NSW chief executive and NSW Harness Racing Club CEO.
Since being appointed to the helm of the ARLC he's pushed the government into resuming the 2020 season on May 28 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced the six-again rule, consistently bagged the AFL and made several giant calls on expansion. He recently said Queensland could have a fifth NRL club by 2027.
V'landys said he had an obligation to be gung-ho in the fight against head injuries.
"I would be irresponsible if I didn't take this action and I didn't take it as hard as I did," V'landys said.
"The only way people learn and you get the outcomes is by giving them the harshest penalty."
V'landys drew a comparison between the ARLC's extreme action against foul play and World Rugby's full-tilt move in 2017.
Punishing high contact with red and yellow cards (send offs and 10-minute sin-bins respectively) eventually led to a much cleaner game. Concussion rates at the 2019 Rugby World Cup dropped by 28 per cent from the global average in 2018.
"I was interested this morning when I was reading an article by (The Sydney Morning Herald's) Adam Pengilly where it said that in the rugby union in 2017 they tried penalising and it got them nowhere. They tried sin-binning and sending them off and concussion reduced dramatically," V'landys said.
"People changed their behaviour, they got the outcome they needed and that's exactly what we have to do with rugby league.
"I don't think people realise that the most crucial thing rugby league has ever faced in its history is how you're going to respond to concussion.
"If you don't respond quickly and you don't respond methodically there will be no game in 15 years – and I am confident of that. I have seen a lot of research, et cetera, and as I say, we need to do it now and we need to do it as quickly as possible."
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.