CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
VICTOR THE CONSTRICTOR: After both Sydney Roosters Angus Crichton and Victor Radley were forced to miss last week’s State of Origin opener due to suspensions that date back to the round 11 match against The Broncos, it seems the new rules on dangerous tackles are finally sinking in.
On the May 25th NRL judiciary hearing, Crichton was found guilty of his grade one dangerous contact charge and received a two-match ban, while the enforcer Radley got done on a grade two careless high tackle charge, resulting in a four-match suspension.
With two seperate incidents report that night, Radley will miss a total of five NRL matches – as well the first two State of Origin matches.
At the time, Radley was quick to fire a shot at the NRL over their crackdown on head contact, dismissing claims that he needed to change his style of tackling.
“I don’t think my tackling style needs to be changed,” he said. “I’m really confident and happy with my tackling style.
“I’ve been taught from a very young age by very good coaches – Adrian Lam, Craig Fitzgibbon – a very good tackling style.
“Just because they decide to change the rules midway through the season, doesn’t mean I have to change my tackling style.”
However, this week after watching his boys in Blue score 50 points in Townsville last weekend, it seems Victor The Inflictor is starting to get itchy feet.
“Okay okay I get it!” moaned Radley, while talking to NRL executives he coincidentally ran into at the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi during Sunday arvo’s UFC fights.
“But I can still, like, fuck people up? Right?!?”
After once again having the new high shot rules explained to him, Radley had a few more questions.
“So I’m still allowed to cave in their rib cages?”
“Right?”
“Like not a late shot, but If I catch them by surprise I’m allowed to eviscerate their vital organs in their upper torso?”
After again having the high shot rules explained to him, Victor seemed confident he would still be allowed to cause as much harm as humanly possible – so long as he didn’t go near the brain.
“Soooo… Like, collar bones? If I can get them square on their clavicle without them falling into it… That’s play on?”
MORE TO COME.
