Gus goes nuclear on NRL crackdown | Wide World of Sports

Gus goes nuclear on the NRL over the high tackle crackdown, but Gal is not quite on the same page. READ: 9Soci.al/3G7850wAa2v | Subscribe: 9Soci.al/c66350wAa29
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[@danieljosevski1169]

I used to hate Gus as a kid but man do I love him now. Brutal, honest and most of all he just talks common sense. Love ya Gus.

[@benjaminwbx]

Ha! I went the other way! He needs a good lie down.

[@Jaidavirocks]

Gus Gould is absolutely spot on. get Peter vlandys out

[@mightyknight]

You can't ruin State of Origin. Gus was definitely spot on about the last statement.

[@chuckh5999]

a great summation Gus. The country is over regulated and the silliness is spreading far and wide. Cotton wool cocoons for all and touch football is the way to go ha, ha

[@tommylob1409]

😆 i love when gus says "dont get me started" but then gets started anyway.

[@Evvzt]

😂

[@9002alex]

I don’t agree with Gus all the time, but in this instance I’ll be there waving the flag and beating the drums for him. His statement about pangai vs walker is spot on. It really shows the void and lack of thought into this type of thing. You can’t have your cake and eat it

[@rarotime5555]

I've watched it for over 20 years. I'm done. Too many rule changes. Not the same game.

[@chridda4825]

couldn't agree more

[@Twixzul]

Yep absolutely can’t stand Gus as a commentator but his logic is impossible to argue against

[@ripme6616]

Yeah well I'm sick of you Johnny Come Lately

[@thedudebro168]

You can tell he sees the game far better than others. Didn't even consider the way that TPJ used arms, elbows etc at walkers head to brush him off.

[@mattmck1929]

I’m English, grew up playing Union in the South west...never watched super league but discovered NRL during the pandemic as it was the only sport on. It was a revelation...the fastest, most brutal, most exciting thing I’d ever seen, don’t ruin it!

[@garywhite7886]

Stick to union !! this is not Rugby League .

[@youbetzler]

@@garywhite7886 union started this nonsense though league just following suit. The amount of red cards bein given out in union was so outta control they had to change the rules where now if a player is red carded he can be replaced after 20mins.

[@bremCZ]

@@youbetzler They didn't change that because of the number of cards.

[@tallaganda83]

That’s great to hear it really was a great sport up until two weeks ago.

[@garywhite7886]

@@tallaganda83 What was great to hear ?

[@aussiecowboah8825]

Keep the game brutal, don’t turn it soft.

[@AyyFuji]

And then have every player suffering with concussion difficulties when they've retired? Yeah, because that's smart when we know what we know about concussions. If the NFL does this stuff, guess what, whether you like it or not, it needs to happen in rugby too. Not the greatest advertising to watch every guy get clocked around the head for juniors either.

[@thedudebro168]

@@AyyFuji there will be no NRL. Australia doesn't have the population base to support the product, especially one has terrible as this. NFL will survive because it's an unrivalled game in the states. Fans are abandoning the NRL in droves and going to AFL. If you remove the fabric of what makes Rugby league great then there is no game. So leave it or have nothing, I guarantee there will be no in between

[@aussiecowboah8825]

@@AyyFuji players would only suffer from concussion if they get hit head high, make it below the nipples to tackle people but still be able to put massive shots on, because everyone loves a big hit. I also think they should bring the shoulder charge back, again not to the head but below the nipples that way the game is still entertaining and brutal but none of the players are suffering concussions.

[@jonboy1509]

Says the guy who watches and isn't out there playing you knob

[@enragedcowboysfan5298]

This is a sad version of what we saw 1908-2017 now it’s a husk if it’s former self...

[@jfarani1169]

Gus is spot on , we are going to end up having a game with high scores because no one wants to tackle out of fear of fines or suspensions

[@jfarani1169]

@@dimimaiden 😂🤣

[@MrMojoRisin]

Spot on. Exactly.

[@pb6959]

Or, these professional sportsman could adjust and learn to tackle properly. At 3:21 - Dr Gus says this wasn't a concussion... 'A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. This occurs from a mild blow to the head, either with or without loss of consciousness.' At 3:21, the first point of contact was the tackler's shoulder and the runner's chin. The runner's head whiplashes from the impact. Dr Gus assumes a concussion must result in a loss of consciousness. Channel 9 shouldn't have an ex player, Dr Gus, who is suffering from years of trauma to his brain, namely, thinking.

[@Evvzt]

👍🏽

[@anthonycorboy5122]

@@pb6959 spot on

[@riposter69]

Gus is spot on. Why is the defending team solely responsible for the head contact? it takes two to make a collision. All the instances where the ball player hits the defenders head with their shoulders, elbows and hips are ok even if they result in a concussion. Why don't attacking players have a duty of care considering they cause about 70% of the concussions and head knocks. The only way to get rid of head knocks is ban the collisions. Might as well just play oz tag

[@H0tchips]

Absolutely 100% correct mate. Well said.

[@MJBOGAN]

They need to make a few more calls for attackers leading with knees and elbows, but if you're applying the tackle, the duty of care is yours, not the ball carrier.

[@riposter69]

@@MJBOGAN Yeah but why? The shoulder charge hasn't been banned. Its just been banned for the defending team. How many forwards charge into the defensive with their shoulders cocked? TPJ did in the radley tackle. If you knock a defender out that's fine and we just get to murmur caring noises while waiting for the ambo cab.

[@thirstyrabbittanks2u191]

Or pad up like the NFL

[@riposter69]

@@thirstyrabbittanks2u191 Hasnt reduced their concussions. Probably just increased it by generating more force in the collision

[@ronanrogers4127]

Vlandys is talking absolute crap about the government stepping in and cracking down on the hardness of League. If Government was going to do that we’d have already seen action on boxing and MMA. Vlandys is being dishonest, he’s introducing the possibility of a bogeyman when none exists.

[@riposter69]

He is probably just having flashbacks after what the govt did to greyhound racing

[@MJBOGAN]

He's just seen how the NFL has been well litigated over CTE lately and is trying to do this for financial reasons. To save from a few lawsuits.

[@shanehansen3705]

@@riposter69 that's exactly what i'm thinking he's shell shocked from what happened to him in racing

[@spinmyhead1667]

@@riposter69 Played a role in that don’t worry.Biggest snake to ever shine a bum on a seat.

[@clutch7548]

I think combat sports are much more heavily regulated. Commissions etc before they sanction a fight

[@davidcorrigan6578]

The GusFather has spoken. Halfbacks will need to carry around metal pipes and attack the legs.

[@ripme6616]

You have to draw the line in the sand somewhere

[@thedudebro168]

@@ripme6616 60kg weight limit? Perhaps when vlandys is done destroying the racing industry the jockeys will pull a big switcheroo and play league?

[@_OpdeeMist]

@@thedudebro168 🤣😂🤣

[@pb6959]

At 3:21 - Dr Gus says this wasn't a concussion... 'A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. This occurs from a mild blow to the head, either with or without loss of consciousness.' At 3:21, the first point of contact was the tackler's shoulder and the runner's chin. The runner's head whiplashes from the impact. Dr Gus assumes a concussion must result in a loss of consciousness. Channel 9 shouldn't have an ex player, Dr Gus, who is suffering from years of trauma to his brain, namely, thinking.

[@geeejjjj8486]

@@pb6959 it's a contact sport. You play the game knowing that concussion and other injuries are a possibility.

[@oldfool666]

Every fan needs to hear that exchange between Gus and V'landys about low tackling. V'landys is asked how he would tackle a player like Jason Taumalolo. He says he would just tackle him low and Gus says he wouldn't last 2 minutes. Gus is exactly right. It shows just how out of touch and uneducated these bureaucrats are about how our game should be played.

[@garywhite7886]

They could tackle round the legs if they had 5 M defensive and not play charge and barge. Why do you think we have to many high tackles !!!!!!!!

[@Genxr66]

@Peter Brandtman WTF?? Let the player run past you so you can tackle him from behind. You must be related to Vlandys

[@user-uw4yb3oj7c]

I've been saying this for two years now, since Greenberg was screwing the game that GUS is the man to bring back the biff. Vlandy's has ruined it all. They'll fk up SOO this year too.

[@dreddking6073]

I miss Greenberg now lol

[@spinmyhead1667]

Origin is dead before it starts.

[@Gavin84w]

The saying "The good old days" just gets truer and truer every day, RIP RL.

[@Cobber2023]

It's been that way since the mid 1990's

[@sinchicated]

Gus literally hit the nail on the head with this one. There needs to be people within the league that need to grow a pair and and kick vlandys out cause what he’s doing to this game is diabolical

[@mattfuller7313]

And by hitting the nail in the head, Gus is looking at a four match ban.

[@chuckh5999]

Youse decide because youse know what youse doin. No they don't !

[@tasmanianscallop435]

@@mattfuller7313 hahahaha I love it

[@mattfuller7313]

Thanks mate

[@fiatfiat69]

Once again Gus, you're 100% on the money! How are we all ok with guy's making decisions on how the game is played when they've never played it themselves!

[@connormaguire8909]

he is a complete idiot when commentating, but on the money most of the time with things like this

[@isaacschulz7943]

@@connormaguire8909 ha ha tottally agree!

[@isaacschulz7943]

There just seems to be no tolerance especially when at the last millisecond the ball carrier either slips or drops low. At such high speeds how can the tackler account for that?Its really ridiculous.

[@powerbite92]

The politicians are behind this. The media and the politicians hate Australia and everything it stands for.

[@hammerman47]

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would agree with G Gould on anything..... But in this video, he is 100% right....

[@politenessman3901]

I've been a club member for more than a decade, I'm close to walking away from the NRL - there are plenty of available entertainment options and the NRL seem determined to stuff this one up.

[@Iceblade_84]

I actually enjoyed the footy for the most part this year, except the bunker over turning given tries two minutes after the fact. But that all changed with the crackdown. Im fine with the crackdown on direct head high shots. But its the accidental ones that arent anyones fault that dont need to be sinbinned and in some cases even penalised. We need to get over as a society that just because someone is hurt someone must be at fault. Its a sport of spilt second decisions, accidents happen. But what makes the games really hard to watch is the bunker almost entire sets later telling the ref to stop play cos there might be a high tackle. This is where the confusion and the fabric of the game is truly being ruined. If they are worried about litigation then there should be a clause in the contracts of first grade footballers stating they are at risk of head knocks despite all precautions taken and the league holds no responsibility for what injury may come cause of it if the person in question chooses to continue as a footballer. Most footballers understand these risks to begin with. Its just those doing it tough after footy will resort to legal action.

[@aussieinkorea593]

Well said mate. This is the opinion held by the majority. After all, isn't this the reason they get paid the big bucks? We all understand that they're putting their bodies on the line and doing things that most of us wouldn't or couldn't.

[@johns8020]

Agreed

[@markdignam3525]

Yes, largely agree. You do not need to hurt anyone now to be penalised, sin binned or sent off anymore. I watched the Sydney-Brisbane game and I actually felt sorry for Radley. He clearly was confused and seemed disorientated. I was expecting the coaches to pull him off. I've never been part of the "bring back the biff" brigade but the game in 2021 is so fast, the players are stronger and fitter than in previous generations and I'd say that the referees and video refs can arguably find fault with a large proportion of the tackles. In 2021, players know they can't get into fights, punch or use any form of foul play - elbows, knees, whatever. As such, many decisions are spur of the moment and are a reaction to the ball carrier moving, changing direction, etc. A normal reaction to a change of direction by the carrier is to react quickly and that is a common reason for loose arms and tackles that go wrong - as well as missed tackles. Clamping down in it will see endless lines of players at the judiciary. I am expecting that soon, ALL matches will be watched and re-watched by judiciary members looking for any infraction. If that happens, the players will be too scared to even tackle each other. I have seen Rugby Union go in that direction where the tacklers no longer try and really hit each other.

[@maciusaukuru5886]

Well said Gus 👏👏👏 I hope the NRL come to their senses. The NRL in the past few weeks has become a joke. These NRL players are professionals, who have prepared themselves for years, to play the game at the highest level...just like professional boxers and MMA fighters etc...🤯💥🤦‍♂️

[@yothuyindi4050]

The reason why supporters are leaving the sport.

[@kuzzo9438]

They need to listen to Gus when he talks He knows footy more than anyone and understands the ins and outs.. This is ruining our game.. We may as well be playing Oztag

[@pb6959]

At 3:21 - Dr Gus says this wasn't a concussion... 'A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. This occurs from a mild blow to the head, either with or without loss of consciousness.' At 3:21, the first point of contact was the tackler's shoulder and the runner's chin. The runner's head whiplashes from the impact. Dr Gus assumes a concussion must result in a loss of consciousness. Channel 9 shouldn't have an ex player, Dr Gus, who is suffering from years of trauma to his brain, namely, thinking.

[@owent2032]

They people making up the rule have probably never played before 🤣

[@craigkitching4883]

@@pb6959 pull your head out ya arse, this is why Rugby League IS THE GREATEST GAME OF ALL!

[@kuzzo9438]

@@pb6959 get off the pipes mate

[@BeauOgrady]

@@pb6959 how may times you gonna post the same reply... We get it... You can copy paste someone else's findings ...

[@enragedcowboysfan5298]

Mark my words, someone will lose a playoff game, a origin or a grand final because of it.

[@flyingfish6903]

Up until magic round I'd say I was enjoying the state of the game the most I ever had. If the player takes them cleanly, crudely or late to the head; bin them. If the player with the ball dips at the knees, or goes head first into a defender, play on. The guy with the ball should also have a duty of care to themselves.

[@dalemawby8717]

It doesn't matter whether you like Guss or not; he is trying to speak from the perspective of a viewer and he is right!

[@PassportBro121]

Been a fan for 40years. I'm nearly done with the game.

[@mattfuller7313]

Come over to AFL, give it a go At least people want to watch our sport.

[@godnnat]

@@mattfuller7313 still doesn’t out rate the league ..

[@tobyfitzpatrick3914]

It's all a marketing exercise -- to sell skirts in club colours.

[@chrisharbutt8497]

I think the Gus/V’landys bro-mance is over. 😂

[@anthonymontgomery4861]

Gus. I am 66 yrs old and have been a lifelong rusted on fan of Rugby League since I can remember. I stopped watching the game around 5 weeks ago for several reasons. The 6 again rule no contest between top teams and those down the ladder, ridiculous salary cap rules that allow some clubs all the advantages and now they are turning the game into a touch football contest. Now we will have coaches instructing players to stay down and milk penalties whenever they can. It's getting as bad as the dives in soccer. Netball has more violence than football these days.

[@jagmaxwell1147]

Well said.

[@albertkelly7129]

you didnt stop watching anything and your at least 68

[@anthonymontgomery4861]

@@albertkelly7129 Sorry to disappoint you but I am 66 and have most certainly stopped watching the games but still reading the commentary around the fallout of the rule changes in the hope that some sanity might prevail and see the game as it was.

[@fale892]

Gus is right. Victor was playing how we want the game played, he gave it to the Broncs, Im a Broncs fan, but I loved it. Thats League!

[@keithbarnett3635]

Brad Fittler whinged so hard,he brought this crap on.Basically unwatchable now,so sad

[@Chris-pr7do]

😭😭😭 "we have to protect our beloved roosters and best player in the world!" 😭

[@patrickjohnson1309]

Fittler is a ded set goose, absolute flop of a bloke

[@monsterlgm4428]

Brad whinged because Queensland were smashing nsw in defence so he needed to get rid off

[@andmanymore]

Spot on comment. Said they need for crack down on people hurting Tedesco because he is the best player in the world(his opinion), NRL decided to protect all the players not just Frederick Fittler a favorites.

[@stefanocioni2587]

That’s right, cause his bumchum Tedesco always falls in to tackles and he needs him for origin fresh

[@ElConqueefTador]

Please Jason Taumalolo run at peter vlandy, when he "tackles low" he's guaranteed not to get back up to the end of the season, ending his touch footy pipe dream

[@Chesterxon]

Gus is usually annoying but he’s spot on here

[@nelsonharding8091]

The science says that the most significant factor in CTE injury among NFL players was not contact to the head but was just tackling in of itself. NRL are basically doing nothing to lower future CTE in injuries, cos they haven’t consulted the scientific researchers.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Players understand the risks, if they don't want to take on the risk. Don't play, it's pretty simple.

[@sonah9126]

And by not engaging the right kind of resources opens them up to litigation even further - PVL is a muppet, trying to copy the NFL

[@VanderJamesHum]

im not even that into NRL but Gus Gould is a hero for sticking up for the game. Keep the purity and the entertainment in it

[@steveothepainterreeding9126]

Trevor Gilmeister had the technical style needed now. He cut many big forwards in half

[@truthserum273]

The Axe 💪

[@griff8578]

It’s amazing the opinions have altered a bit because the Roosters have been pinged. When Broncos got hammered the previous week, it was slightly different

[@ironwilliam7760]

Exactly They were all on board when it wasn’t their teams getting beat. Fred Went off about people hitting Tedesco and it has to change now they can’t watch it. Hypocritical

[@dylanpearson8548]

This absolutely these idiots instigate all these changes: referee crackdown, head high crackdown, use of technology. Then complain when it goes against them

[@nelsonharding8091]

No one is asking the basic question, where’s the evidence that this will reduce CTE?

[@riposter69]

That's exactly right. All they really seem to care about is the optics of the problem. They seem to think intentions cause head knocks. It's like the medical community wanting to ban boxing not because it caused the most amount of head knocks but because the boxers intention to get a knockout felt morally compromising. Once he CTC research started to implicate NFL, AFL and even heading in soccer, the best evidence is that high shots don't cause most of the CTC - collisions do. Do we ban collison sports?

[@nelsonharding8091]

@@riposter69 exactly, the logical conclusion of player welfare based on the nfl research is .... no contact. Which of course is ludicrous because we wouldn’t have contact sport. Vlandys is just covering his own ass to make it look like he’s doing everything in the interests of player welfare

[@riposter69]

@@nelsonharding8091 I reckon Vlandy's comment about the govt stepping in to regulate league out of existence is just his background and maybe seeing parallels with the death of greyhound racing . The flourishing of MMA and combat sports would prove otherwise that there is still a place for gladiatorial contests. What do all those suburban mums think their children are doing in jiu jitsu class - just tumbling in pajamas? they are actually learning how to fight, choke and dislocate joints

[@nelsonharding8091]

@@riposter69 good observation, his greyhound background and what happened there is very interesting !

[@sonah9126]

I've been saying this ever since I saw magic round.. tackle high sent off, tackle low they're gone.. front-rowers and muscle bound athletes CANNOT play this game anymore.. I've never played first-grade, but I've grown up playing aussie school boys, and even in the grassroots system, if you ONLY go low, anyone with a decent set of wheels are gone. You have to cut them down, using your force against theirs to prevent them making post-contact metres, if you grab and hold (like most beginners) you're done and the opponents hit a hole. The only time it is safe to drop and tackle mid and low, is front on, but most players with a ball don't run directly at you, they try to hit a hole, step you, run lines that are different to yours, those angles with speed and fatigue sometimes causes situations where your head is on the line. That aspect though is one of the NRL's best marketing tools, which is ridiculous because the NRL seems so determined to kill it/'s most powerful marketing tool, for the sake of litigation prevention. Go about litigation prevention without destroying your product, like most normal businesses, Peter V'landys. Do the game a favour and give the throne to someone else. PVL's successes up til now aren't his anyways, the increased revenue last year is due to lockdowns, and he wasn't the first sport to be back up and operating during the pandemic, mixed martial arts was.

[@kimmar8106]

We all fell inlove with rugby league for those Gordon Tallis or Josh Macguire hustle plays and SBW's tackles .

[@dans7386]

Gus is right. I tune in to see the brutality of the sport. This new NRL crackdown is diluting this great product into a game that is best described as egregious. No wonder Rugby League is losing ground to other sports in this country.

[@ryanelliott84]

Fans need to boycott the games

[@danny3656]

Thought they already were... fans barely go to games anymore

[@peppipoohductionswakashunt3157]

Gus said perfectly people changing the rules who have never played. People are paying to watch these players play, hopefully it won’t be long until the backflip on this or the game is dead.

[@junghunpark8873]

Next year all teams will need to wear shorts with the Velcro tags on the sides with long flowing ribbons for players to pull off to count as a tackle.

[@blessedjaravani2260]

I loved footy when people like the Raging bull who literally destroy players not now where players are expected to just touch people and it’s a penalty

[@soundzrinmygarden3833]

Screw the NRL. We need a break away competition, time to start again, let's play some rugby league instead of high speed touch footy.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

The game was looking so good, now they're ruining it again. Players understand the risks, people will always be hit in the head, it's a physical contact sport. If you're afraid of a head injury, don't run out on the field, this game isn't for everyone!!

[@politenessman3901]

There is also soft headgear if you want it.

[@mattd3046]

Vlandys saved League from Covid. Who's gonna save League from Vlandys?

[@trooking1]

6:28 wow, V’landys saying that if they don’t have this crackdown now, governments may become involved and say that you can’t play rugby league.

[@titob81]

The Government won't and can't shut the game down. If that was a legitimate concern, you'd hear the same things coming out of boxing and MMA circles but you don't.

[@barrycouda8481]

...I think if the NRL wants to crack down on the high tackle, the best way would be to make it a $1200 on the spot fine for the player who went in high, and leave them on the field, ( unless the bloke tackled is injured and has to leave the field ), to complete the game. ....More than 3 times in the game, ...then sin-bin 10 mins for each offense. I think that would limit the high tackles while pleasing the fans with a fair game. !!!

[@owent2032]

Best thing Gus has ever said 😂

[@50NewEyes]

The players get paid hundreds of thousands in not millions of dollars to put their body on the line..... 💰 bring back the biff and the big hits and the shoulder charge....

[@aceavram712]

He's spot on. I have been a fan for over 30 years and I use to watch every game. After these last 2 weeks I am no longer keen on watching any games. Including my own team. I don't have an issue with protecting players welfare. But what is happening is a joke. The last straw for me was the first Radley send off in the Broncos game. I could not figure out what he done wrong. He never got him in the head and just put pressure on the kicker. BTW , I am NOT a Roosters fan! Then you see what happened to Napa when Wallace stayed down and you could officially say " NRL is dead! " . No consistency in send offs. It's all now refs indiscretion who gets to play with 13 players on the field. That's not NRL!

[@iLoveTheBomb]

Funnily enough this rule will most likely lead to more Severe head trauma, forcing defenders to go low headfirst into a hip or knee. Just shows how out of touch these head guys are and why on earth don’t they listen to people who actually understand the game? They don’t do any proper research and yet they feel they should micro manage the game, it’s all under the guise of player safety but more so they have some other agenda which either protects or benefits their own position. Also they talk about making the sport relevant, MMA is one such gladiatorial sport that has grown immensely in the past 20 years.

[@jlemoto676]

Are u kidding Gus u telling me he never made any contact to either ones head ? The point here is to keep the tackles lower and avoid the head. He clearly makes contact with the head on Kelly and Pangai Junior

[@jasontyson3658]

Most concussions in the NRL come from the defender trying to tackle around the waist and getting a hip or elbow to the head, the NRL solution to concussions is to increase the most concussive action in the game, top notch intellect.

[@christianvillarroel8894]

I didn’t watch all the games like I usually do. The games gets ruin when you loose one two players. Not for me, I don’t play it, but I love watching these players that can.

[@venom1889]

Was this ever an issue before they changed the rules to speed it up and bring in the fatigue factor? 🤔

[@backspace701]

Yep, I changed channels on Saturday night and watched the AFL. I don’t normally watch AFL, but I guess I do now.

[@MadRS]

THE.....ONLY.....REASON.....WE.....ARE......HERE.......NOW is because the bunker missed those 2 hits in the Roosters v Paramatta game. The "Officials" of the game are trying to cover their arses and they are destroying the game in doing so.

[@robd3529]

Gus is 100% correct

[@Mahatheyew]

Gus is 100%

[@mohamadalsalman2485]

Bro i can relate to what gus was saying so much because when i used to play junior rugby sometimes when i would go for leg tackles. One time i did that and copped a knee to the face, worst feeling ever.

[@kcox3090]

I turned off the telly after the first couple of penalty decisions went against Manly, knowing that the bunnies would win because of the bias of the referee and the bunker. The fix is in.

[@dmack1209]

I'm not going to another game until I see the end product, too many outsiders making rules on our Game

[@danb1553]

I want players like Victor Radley in my team! Like Gus said, all day Pangai Jnr targeted Walker, Radley comes over and says 'f**k that I'm going over to smash Tevita!' I love it, that was Rugby League at it's best.

[@chocolatethunder6920]

5 years time it will be front rowers can only tackle front rowers and backs can only tackle backs. Pathetic.

[@danieltalevski]

What about all the high shots missed by the refs? See the swinging arms from Mitchell and Walker on Cleary's massive chin on the weekend? Hard to miss his chin, but no consequences.

[@cowann3337]

Its the Rabbitohs they're a protected species

[@zber9043]

I’m fine with the crackdown. I watched Manly v Parra and there were no issues for me. I like the running game even more than the collisions.

[@mandubbang7132]

I still love watching the game but dont know how long for..AFL looks exciting these days

[@bruntonharris1347]

If a tackle is head high (whether arm or shoulder) and there is contact to the head penalise, bin them or send the attacker off according to the severity or blatancy, however if it is not initially directed at the head and hits the ball or chest or arm and slides up to the head area that is another story. What about head clashes? There is a lot of body to tackle below the neck of a ball runner but if the attacker falls into a defender then the unintentional contact it is an accident. This must be taken into account or otherwise it will change the nature of this Contact Sport beyond hope and it will frustrate the game, players and supporters. Many more like Joey Johns will be turned off and will walk away. The thing I DO NOT want to see is tackled players milking penalties by staying down after a “high” tackle waiting for the referee, bunker or home crowd to react. It will lower the code to that of soccer players who writhe in agony after being tripped by a foot tap and act like they have broken a leg and are in excruciating pain. A stretcher is called for. Once the penalty is given they get up and play on. The only harm done is to the game. Rugby League is a body contact sport...hard, tough and brutal ...what we want to see. A physically demanding game that pits skill, speed, strength, power and stamina against the players on the field. Unfortunately there are accidents, misjudgements and violent acts of payback etc but surely common sense will prevail and the powers that be will come up with a NEW PLAN for head high tackles. The officials in the Bunkers need to closely look at intent, force, placement and extenuating circumstances and relay this to the referee. Nothing may need to occur. Maybe a penalty and no report, maybe a penalty and on report and maybe a penalty and 10 mins in the bin and on report or maybe a send off. Make the punishment fit the “crime”. Justice in this case should not be blind.

[@aaronmyers6271]

The game can still be tough. They just need to lower their shots a little. There will always be accidental contact at the speed and power that the game is played. Under the crackdown Victor was all over the place and Gus is dead wrong about the hit on Coates. Watch the game and listen to the Ref he clearly calls Victor offside 2 times before he drops the shoulder. He then follows it up with another shoulder that either hits the head, or gets pretty close. Ravalawa has been suspended twice for the same style of tackle.

[@noturbo]

its true its always been rule changes then the counter rule changes, they speed the game up with new rules then try and combat the faster pace with send offs, i agree with Gus its been happening for ever so it will find a balance just have to ride out the storm and it will reset again.

[@mathewjr]

Very true. If it keeps continuing we don't want to watch rugby. Doesn't look tough anymore...

[@domodoeslife4741]

Compulsory Head gear!

[@lingstonyaki3688]

Thisis the best discussion for this issue

[@alexmarti7684]

The game is changing and not for the best simple as that. Its going soft, sports like these people love because not everyone can play this sport.

[@dreddking6073]

I'm not a roosters fan but those radley calls were infuriating

[@depop21]

I hardly watch the NRL anymore because the referees IE the rule-makers are destroying The Greatest Game of All. IT'S NO GOOD!!

[@mattfuller7313]

Hahaha, kaboom! That was a comprehensive takedown by Gus!

[@MonkeyDApps]

I 100% agree with Gus, I stopped watching for maybe 5 year+ when the shoulder charge was taken away, because that was what I loves about the game, decided to give it ago again in 2019 and became a member for the first time in 2020 (wrong time to do so 😂) I have now cancelled my membership because I have no reason to watch a game that is as soft as a under 10s game. It is a sad time in sports. Maybe I'll check AFL out for the first time, seems like it has become more of a man's game over NRL.

[@bondoqbn7318]

Gus is 100% correct. Fans pay to see tough uncompromising RL, not a watered down version. The 6 again needs to be scrapped asap. Valdys doesn't have a reason for a mid season crack down and his justifications are pure rubbish.

[@lukevaughan5329]

Spot on, it’s a contact sport and the players know what could happen it’s why they are payed what they get bloody ridiculous how overboard they have gone there destroying the game

[@williamhunt1643]

It's Rugby League, a contact sport. These players on average get paid $400-500K/year..on average. Higher risk yes hence that is why they get paid more than average workers. Construction workers, cops, ambos, etc they all have high risk on their jobs but they dont get paid nearly half as much. There are other sports that dont involve contact such as tennis, golf, swimming, etc. There is no sense from Vlandys's excuse worried of the government would cancel NRL. Most fans/viewerd had no idea of what was going on anymore with broncos vs roosters game. If a game decided by ref's decisions then what's the point watching NRL anymore? NRL is an absolute mess, instead of cracking down on shocking Ref's and Bunker's decision, Vlandys decided to crack down on players. Good job Vlandys, RIP NRL 2021

[@zwonsinskidmoru4556]

Spot on! 👏🏿

[@Bwrapable]

What is the ruling on accidental head clashes? its not uncommon for two defending players to get it wrong and bumping heads with each other, do we bin both defending players for it?

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

Gus Gould played for Newtown in the Semi Final victory against Manly and you should see the brawl that occurred

[@markthompson3936]

If the NRL would read the comments as a petition we'd be 10 fold over the required amount of signatures to stop this nonsense. I'm only watching the highlights and shows like this so I can see I'm not alone in being frustrated

[@NowPowWow]

Yeah I am close to out. Was hard to watch last week.

[@Cobber2023]

Guss gets so upset when it's one of his precious Sydney Bin Chickens getting in trouble 😂😂😂

[@martingoodef811]

On Gus’s point of the shoulder charge by the ball carrier, also the ball carrier’s dropping of the head in a tackle and falling into a tackle. The actors stalling playing the ball to milk a penalty of a high shot the ref missed. Make headgear compulsory and get back to the real game.

[@TwoHemiViewer]

I am not a Gus fan but I am becoming one.

[@seantighe5256]

I wonder what Gordon Tallis is thinking

[@messiah3133]

The reason why the game is in such a disarray is because you have people such as a horseman, an accountant and a former politician who have never played a game of rugby league in their life, who have no understanding of the game are telling players how to play the game. Vlandys saved the game during the pandemic but now he has actually done more damage than good and it's time for him to go back to horse racing before he completely destroys rugby league.

[@newglorydays-yu6bb]

If it's not a head high tackle Gus isn't happy.

[@borisdaborghadanuff4087]

Back in the day i played a full season never getting tackled one on one low, ran over or bunted them to hell, 6'6 118kg 11 seccond 100m and i was'nt great...hurt heaps of players, this only stopped when mid to upper body hits with multipule tacklers came in, 1 on 1 I scored 9 out of 10 times....I was only 16.

[@markfrancis2370]

Totally agree, what a tragedy ... and V'Landys has the balls to stand there and rigorously defend his stance. There is something sinister going on here ... has the cancel culture finally insinuated itself into rugby league, once again at the expense of men?

[@smooshiewombat3803]

Lets Crackdown even more, if a Defender goes low and gets HIA by runner then the ball runner goes on report and 10 in the bin for careless run.... then change to unlimited interchange and make the bench the whole first grade roster so we can go the nfl/afl route... brilliant

[@lobsterwhisperer7932]

Gus used to play alongside Immortal, Terry Wickey.