A concerning rise in the number of crusher tackles in 2020 has forced the NRL to crack down on the dangerous practice with significantly harsher penalties.
From Thursday night, a new crusher tackle charge has been added to the NRL’s judiciary code of procedure with a grade one penalty to cost players a two-been ban.
Previously the tackle fell under the dangerous contact – head/neck charge with a grade one infringement carrying 100 points.
With no prior offences a player could avoid a suspension with an early guilty plea, while a grade two charge carried a base penalty of 300 points.
However, on Tuesday the ARLC approved a steep rise in the minimum penalty for the crusher tackle, with a grade two charge to carry 350 base points, while a grade three will be 500 – which would carry a five-week ban.
“We have seen a concerning increase in the crusher-type tackles in recent years and the commission has approved stronger deterrents to reverse this trend,” Graham Annesley, the NRL’s head of football, said.
“Crusher tackles are dangerous and carry with them the real potential for catastrophic consequences to the tackled player.
“Despite the charges and warnings previously imposed, we have not seen a decline in offences, so it has become clear that the penalties we had in place were not sufficient.
“While we never want to see players suspended and would much prefer the offences do not occur, we have a responsibility to strike the right balance between deterrence and punishment.
“This is a serious player safety issue and the changes are supported by the Rugby League Players Association.”
Brisbane prop Payne Haas will be the last player charged for a crusher tackle under the old judiciary process.
The State of Origin forward will miss the next two matches for a grade two crusher on Siliva Havili in the Broncos’ loss to Canberra on Saturday.