Off the Wall

When "Dave" Smith returns from a visit to the Continent to watch the women's rugby league team play, he needs to direct the referees, and the match review panel, to get the so called "cannonball" tackle right out of the game - and get it out forever.

The Melbourne Storm have and are contributing much to the game, but the rubbish players indulge in tackles is a blight on the club, its coach and players (including its captain) and its administrators.

The "cannonball" tackles - two of them - on the Broncos Corey Parker last Friday night were appalling. One was surely potentially more dangerous than most of the so called "shoulder charges" officials are trying to rub out.

One involving the Storm's Bryan Norrie was completely and utterly indefensible. And what did the match review panel do about it? Absolutely nothing!

I am not a medico, but even I can tell that the cannonball tackle on a player who is being held up has the potential for terrible consequences. It is also a cowardly tackle.

We want a return to clean, around the legs tackles, not cowardly and dangerous tactics, which, sadly, the Storm have something of a reputation for. And if Mr Smith does not put a stop to it