CAM SMITH

[sharkfest2008]

Found this on NRL.COM:

Cameron Smith to fight charge
AAP

Melbourne captain Cameron Smith will fight his grapple tackle charge at the NRL judiciary but teammate Jeremy Smith has pleaded guilty and will be free to play in next week's grand final if the Storm qualify.

Test hooker Cameron Smith faces a two-week ban for a grapple tackle on Brisbane's Sam Thaiday and must beat the charge at Wednesday night's hearing to play again this season.

Kiwi Test forward Jeremy Smith will miss Friday's preliminary final with Cronulla after entering an early guilty plea to a chicken wing tackle - also on Thaiday.

Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron says he's confident the NRL judiciary won't be swayed by outside pressure and judge Smith's case on its merits.

Opinion is split over the case with one medical expert claiming Smith's alleged grapple tackle could have left Brisbane's Sam Thaiday a paraplegic.

"It's not different to any other case. It's got to be taken on its merits doesn't it. That's the key to this one," Waldron said.

"I've got no doubt all that is written will become totally irrelevant when it gets to the minds of the three or four people making the decision on the night."

Melbourne have long been criticised for their tackling style but Waldron didn't think such a history would count against them.

"That would be questioning the integrity of the people making the decision. That would be very silly.

"There's sensible people charged with making sensible decisions on the outcome so we'll wait and see."

The Storm haven't revealed how they intend to fight the charge, although by accepting an early guilty plea and a week's suspension for the other player involved in the tackle, Jeremy Smith, they may attempt to shift the blame on to him.

Waldron said he hoped the judiciary would accept the Test hooker's version of the tackle, that no malice was involved.

"Our defence will probably fall into place tomorrow but we think that the spirit of the game question ... Cameron's contact, right from the start he's maintained was accidental.

"He certainly releases the tackle, if you look at it in real time. And when he realises it might be an issue and I think that there's a genuine case that he's not outside the spirit of the game, he doesn't go through with anything that causes any damage."

 

[Wibble]

He just got suspended, as he should have (bar an appeal).

He was always going to fight the charge, since the difference between 2 weeks and 3 weeks (one extra world cup match) was not too great. But the reason he got the suspension was because he took the early plea earlier- he gambled that he'd not be found guilty again and lost the gamble.

Players might be better off accepting a charge early on in the season, so they don't have 93 carry over points (they get 100 points or so and use them up in the suspension) so that they can take early pleas just before and during finals to get off or just 1 week suspensions.

The NRL.com article suggests the panel took just 20 minutes to decide- I guess it was as obvious to them as to everyone other non mexican.

Hoffman has also been ruled out, having surgery today. Not that any of it makes up for us without Bird, Buster and Williams. I'll take anything to help us win though.

Manly and the Warriors, with full squads, must be loving it...

Will Cronk kick goals for the Storm now? Turner and Geyer have kicked some, but I'm not sure they are their best options. Either way, you'd think we have a fair advantage in goal kicking.

 

[WillyInBris]

Found guilty on second effort of the tackle.

Serves him bloody right!

 

[IronShark]

Well, I never thought it would happen, I guess there is some justice in the world after all. We have to make sure we make the most of this opportunity.

LETS DO IT SHARKS!

 

[WillyInBris]

THIS WAS THE PANELS INSTRUCTIONS at the Judiciary

A tackler making any contact with the head or neck of the tackled player has a duty to avoid that contact and should any unavoidable contact occur the tackler is required to immediately release the tackled player from any grip or hold around the head or neck or pinning of the head/neck.

I was sure he was going to get off but by reading the above he didn't have a chance and he shouldn't have either.

 

[zakspiders]

i dont mean to gloat.

but i am!

 

[sharkfest2008]

goody goody gumdrops cam's gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

 

[Jigsaw]

man...... seriously is anyone getting goosebumps yet......................

 

[scott17]

ive been getting goosebumps since after the warriors won against melbourne

 

[DeadlyShark]

Cam Smith is gone.If Melbourne are allowed to get away with that tackle, then it sends a clear message that it is officially open slather on attacking the head and neck.The other guy also should go for his chicken wing tackle.Poor Sam Thaiday copped a double bunger, a bit like what happened in the toilet cubicle a week before!!

Your damn right it sends a message. It should have been 10-12 weeks. I was absolutely disgusted with the way Melbourne played. They have learn't under Bellamy to win at all costs. The fact they were losing,they went to near fatal lengths to win the game. Plus, there is a deep seeded element of spite between Melbourne or Brisbane which brings out the best and worst in people. To be honest, I (being a Q.L.D'er) am embarrased. I don't think I have seen anything like what I saw from Cam Smith. In a instant, he, out of sheer rage, could almost have been responsible for putting Thaiday in a wheelchair or worse. If it was the latter, would he have faced manslaughter charges?

This put my brain in motion.
Iam losing my mind waiting of Friday and league is on the brain so hard it's killing my motivation to work. So, in light of that fact, I have decided to list my ideas for improving the game/rules for next year.

Here is a list, I believe, to fix some of the problems detracting from the game.

(a) Any malious collision around the head, neck, throat,groin or any intent with knees, heads, forearms, feet/legs, are mandatorially put on report to face the judicary and the penalty grading is doubled with each indiscretion through the season. End of season..clean slate. Video refs/Judicary, watches the tapes on Monday evening and lays the appropriate charges after watching all the footage.

(b) Interchange is reduced from 10 to 6. This will make the game harder fought battles of passion, ability, stamina, heart and guts being a battle of attrition.


(c) Scrums are contestable. Apart from the opportunity to fairly win the ball in the scrum I agreed that it was also an opportunity for the forwards to stay out of the play and get a short breather. Now, they stick centres in and have 2ndrowers running close or wide of the ruck as first hit up. Last time I saw a team contest a scrum was the Cowboys a couple of years back ad I believe they did it 2 or 3 times that season but it was a rarity catching the other team completly off-guard.

(d) Halfbacks have to feed into the centre of the scrum. Since when do second rowers hook the ball. I always remember being pissed off when my first coach showed me how to spin the ball to your teams particular side when you fed the ball because I thought it unfair. Now, it doesn't even go in the centre.

(e) Golden point is first try scored not points scored. **** the betting and **** the stupid 1 point ****** **** off, you ***** *****. At least let the game be decided over the line, not over the crossbar. (sorry, Tourets Syndrome)

(f) State of Origin is not played in Melbourne or anywhere else other than Q.L.D. or N.S.W. I don't care if Russell Crowe is on his deathbed in Los Angeles and he pays $400 million bucks. It's Q.L.D/N.S.W not Q.L.D/N.S.W featuring at a stadium near you like a ****** circus.

furthermore I like M.G's idea in R.L.W this week in respect to dominant tackles being awarded for copybook, round the legs tackles. And finally I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this small post. I just needed to get some of this out of my head and onto electronic paper and wanted to share my thoughts with anyone that cares.

 

[The Celt]

The judiciary dismissed the club's appeal for Smith. The suspension stands.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/24/2373525.htm

 

[Jigsaw]

(e) Golden point is first try scored not points scored. **** the betting and **** the stupid 1 point ****** **** off, you ***** *****. At least let the game be decided over the line, not over the crossbar. (sorry, Tourets Syndrome)

Id just like to add that i like the drop goal shoot out its awesome. and then wehn someone goes for the try its sweet as.

But can i just say that if it does go to first try. From 70mins onwards if the score is locked it will be the exact same thing a drop out contest. sure it wont be as bad but its still what will happen.

 

[DeadlyShark]

Id just like to add that i like the drop goal shoot out its awesome. and then wehn someone goes for the try its sweet as.

But can i just say that if it does go to first try. From 70mins onwards if the score is locked it will be the exact same thing a drop out contest. sure it wont be as bad but its still what will happen.

Valid point.....however with ten minutes to go and there is a drop-out fest then at least there is ten minutes to go. In golden point as soon as some slots one it's game over.

 

[The Celt]

Deadly at #50

Some really good points that the NRL should look at. Your point a) is already covered in the rules (Section 15, Misconduct) it is a pity that the referees tend to ignore ot unless it is a wildly swinging arm. I do feel the referees and touchies should be more accountable rather than taking the easy way out and putting it on report, they are gatting a fair amount per game without them abrogating their responsibility.

I agree totally with point b). You could even extend it that their are six replacements, once off that is it for the game.

Scrums should be contestable, same as the play the ball. Make players responsible for ball security and allow stripping.

Halfbacks feeding, as above but definitely in the tunnel.

Forget golden point and go back to draws. I have seen plenty of games where neither side should lose and I've also seen games where neither side deserved to win. There is nothing wrong with a draw. It was only done for television.

SOO should only be played in NSW and Qld.

The main problem with the game at present is in the ruck area. This is too slow play down because the 10 metre gap is too big for most defences. Cut it back to 6 or 7 metres or bring back the old 5 metre rule - this rule actually required BOTH sides to be 5 metres from the play the ball. Not having such a gap stops the referee from creating a pause for the defending team to get back with his surrender or dominant tackle (whatever happened to players getting penalised for voluntary tackles).

Good points though Deadly, logical, sensible and thoughtful. There lies the problem.