Shoulder charge crackdown baffles Parker

Sydney Roosters prop Dylan Napa has accused the NRL of ruining the game with its crackdown on the shoulder charge.

Napa on Monday joined a chorus of concern about the crackdown after the match review committee handed down findings which have six more players facing suspensions for the no-arms hit.

It brings the total of players charged to nine – including three suspended last week – since the NRL made its hasty decision to toughen its rules after Roosters forward Kane Evans escaped sanction for flattening Sam Kasiano.

“Just saw the judiciary charges from the weekend, well done suits ruining the game,” wrote Napa on Twitter.

NRL elder statesman Corey Parker says the game’s powerbrokers have a lot to answer for after what he believes has been an over-the-top decision to change shoulder charge laws.

“The problem they get themselves into, with Kane Evans as an example, it was a classic shoulder charge (but) he got absolutely nothing (suspension) on it,” he said on Big Sports Breakfast.

“Then they make a big song and dance out of it a week later and now everyone is getting done.

The NRL’s crackdown showed no signs of slowing down on Monday with Napa’s Roosters teammate Aiden Guerra among six players charged with the offence this week.

There are now genuine fears the new interpretation will affect clubs’ finals hopes with some of the league’s key forwards – Manly’s Willie Mason and Warriors’ Ben Matulino – already rubbed out.

South Sydney hooker Issac Luke on Wednesday night will become the first player to challenge a shoulder charge at the judiciary since the new interpretation was introduced 10 days ago.

Automatic bans on no-arms, shoulder tackles “with force” were ushered in after Evans escaped suspension for his monster hit that floored Canterbury’s Kasiano.

Luke is already out for one match after pleading guilty to a dangerous throw on Cowboys’ fullback Lachlan Coote.

He faces another two weeks if he fails to defend his grade one shoulder charge.

Rabbitohs teammate Luke Keary also took the early guilty plea for a grade one shoulder charge and will miss one week.

Guerra faces two weeks on the sideline for a grade one shoulder charge while Manly’s Jorge Taufua could cop a one-game ban for his hit on Canberra’s Jack Wighton.

Gold Coast’s Lachlan Burr and Raiders winger Jordan Rapana were also pinged for the controversial no-arms tackle and face one and two-week bans respectively.

Warriors’ prop Sam Rapira is the only other player that could be rubbed out from the upcoming round after being charged with a grade-one dangerous throw on Penrith’s Lewis Brown.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!