Grappling with reality
by Chris Cox
Thursday June 17, 2004

Before State of Origin one, New South Wales coach Phil Gould implored referee Sean Hampstead to stop Queensland using "grapple tackles", the tactic of gathering the tackled player in almost a headlock to slow down the play the ball.

"Melbourne Storm do it all the time," he said, pointing to Queensland hooker Cameron Smith coming from the southern capital. "It's dangerous," he said.

State of Origin came and went, and while barely a crooked maroon elbow near a blue head could be seen, the saintly New South Wales forwards were gathering all and sundry in a vice-like grip.  Queensland's players were rubbing their necks after tackles.

Queensland didn't whinge.

Four days later, Melbourne Storm beat Newcastle at EnergyAustralia Stadium.  However, while Melbourne winger Matt Geyer's hat trick of tries was ignored, Newcastle and New South Wales hooker and captain, Danny Buderus, could visibly be seen gesturing at his neck. "They're grappling us, sir," you could read his very words.

On the Sunday Footy Show the next morning, Buderus complained that his players were concerned about it, that it was slowing them down. But when asked if he thought a player could be injured in a grapple tackle, Buderus couldn't lie. "I don't think it's dangerous, it's just annoying."

Later that week the NRL issued a directive to all clubs that grapple tackles were officially outlawed and referees would be watching for any of the following indicators:

·       Defenders merely grasping the head or neck of an opponent in a tackle where more than one tackler is involved
·       Defenders making a legitimate upper body tackle, but then sliding or moving up to grasp the head or neck in completing the tackle
·       Any pulling or jerking of the head or neck in an attempt to roll the ball carrier over in completing the tackle
·       Restraining the ball carrier on the ground by his head or neck to slow the play-the-ball
·       Any other unnecessary contact with the head or neck in effecting a tackle

State of Origin two rolls around and what did we see?  Blue sleeved arms locked around the heads of Queensland players trying to get up and play the ball.  And what was worse? Buderus was the chief offender.

The question is, did Sean Hampstead take action?  No. 

And why would he?  24 hours earlier, Phil Gould stormed out of a press conference after going on a tirade against the QRL, claiming they were pressuring Hampstead to referee the game how they wanted it to be played.  "It's all about Queensland," Gus decried. Never mind that no QRL official had even spoken to Hampstead or mentioned anything about the refereeing in the press. The only one doing that was Phillip Gould.

Well, to the average punter, the build up to State of Origin this year has seemingly been all about Gus.  Whenever any news about the game comes on, there's that giant head taking up front and centre of screen, rattling off some strange comment designed to either take the heat off his players, put the heat on his players or whinge about how Origin is designed to be won by Queensland.

In just five weeks of the Origin campaign, Gus has:

.       Called for an alcohol ban in the New South Wales camp and then lamented that player power overruled him
.       Played the hurt father when some of his players ran amok during an alcohol-enriched bonding session. "I've never felt so let down," boo hoo.
.       Thrown the ultimate tantrum by retiring from Origin coaching at the conclusion of this series. "I'm not a coach anymore and I don't want to be."
.       Ran onto the field like a cheerleader retaining water after the Blues won the opening game in extra time
.       Sent an SOS to Brad Fittler to come out of retirement to help the Blues out of an injury crisis and announcing it on national television before it had even been approved by the ARL, the sport's governing body
.       Whinged and moaned about how they were the underdogs after halfback Brett Kimmorley was ruled out and after a farcical ring around selected his club boy Brett Finch over game one 18th man, Kurt Gidley
.       Whinged that Queensland run the referee on game eve
.       Jumped into shot for the cameras just before half time of game 2 to show what a great coach he was
.       Dramatically stormed off down the tunnel shortly before full time when he saw that same camera was focussed on him

The drama. The spectacle. The tension. None of it is about the football, Phil Gould has made it all about him.

He whinged throughout 2002 and 2003 that Queensland coach Wayne Bennett wasn't doing enough to promote the series. "I've had to do it all," he complained.  Not that he seemed to mind.  It's almost as though Gould has an obsessive compulsive disorder that requires him to be seen on TV on a daily basis.

Newcastle coach Michael Hagan took the Queensland reins in 2004, and so far has spoken only when necessary, appearing on the Footy Show as is obligatory these days and attending the mandatory press conferences.  No grandiose gestures or statements. No over the top on-field celebrations.  He's just done his job as a coach. 

Rugby League, and particularly State of Origin, will be much better off when Ricky Stuart takes on that sort of a role next year, and the melodramatic misfit, Gould is long gone.

For an increasing number of people, Origin has fallen from its pedestal as a great sporting contest and is merely a promotion for the television, a sporting pantomime.  It brings in the money and the crowds and the TV ratings, but is it about the sport anymore?

In three years Gould has gone a long way towards ensuring it's not.

..........................................

The Nine Network in Australia pride themselves on the innovative sporting coverage they provide, whether it be cricket, Rugby League or aussie rules. They were the masters who brought us Stump Cam, Hawk Eye, Cross Bar Cam and the list goes on.

Last night they unveiled SkyCam, a camera mounted on a wire suspended 12 metres above ground level which hovers in the attacking line to give an almost "on field" view of the game.

The camera quality itself was poor, lacking colour and focus, but more irritating than that, it constantly whirred in and out of shot on the regular wide angle.  Distracting for spectators most definitely.

But what about the very real prospect of it impacting on the game? The likes of Fittler, Darren Lockyer and co kick bombs upwards of 30 or 40 metres in the air.  It's inevitable that, with the wire system above the ground, a ball is going to hit it.  What impact will that have on the spectacle?

Has the quest for the ultimate TV angle gone too far?

Certainly the quest to make State of Origin a television drama has. The network's pre-game show included a nice piece on Fittler's return to Origin.  But it all became so camp when, as Fittler talked about the best player in the world, Darren Lockyer, the edit cut to a shot of Lockyer, cross armed and looking serious against a black back drop, turning his head dramatically as the camera zoomed in on him.

It had the television audiences in fits of laughter - not the desired effect.

Shortly after, former legend Paul Harragon was interviewing another past Origin great, Gorden Tallis in the players' tunnel. Perfectly normal and an interesting insight. But, inexplicably, Tallis and Harragon began walking towards the camera as it backed away up the tunnel.

If there has been a more uncomfortable sight than two old forwards, trying to think, talk, walk and look at a camera few have seen it.

Nobody denies that the Nine Network are a sensational sporting telecaster.  Without a doubt they are the pinnacle of Australia's networks.  But they need to realise they are dealing with sportsmen, not media personalities.

Let them be themselves and do what they do best.