Get tough on shoulder charges: Coroner
A CORONER says rugby league bosses should consider sending players off as punishment for shoulder charges after the tragic death of James Ackerman in a Queensland Cup game.
Mr Ackerman, 25, died in hospital two days after he suffered serious whiplash and was knocked unconscious when then-Brisbane Broncos recruit Francis Molo shoulder charged him during a Queensland Cup game in 2015.
An inquest was held earlier this year and Coroner John Lock noted in his findings handed down yesterday that referees were reluctant to send players off “unless the dangerous contact is very clear and serious”. “I consider that the issue of the reluctance to use send-offs is one that may need to be reconsidered by the game,” Mr Lock said.
“The rules allow for this to happen, but at a policy level it is clear the message filtered down to match officials is to use send offs in only exceptional cases.
“... There is clearly a place for this level of deterrence to be considered.”
Mr Lock also said the Brisbane Broncos should have considered speaking to Molo about his dangerous tackling technique, especially considering he was suspended twice in 2016 for shoulder charges.
“It’s evident that Francis was not spoken to specifically about shoulder charges and how to avoid them James’s death,” he said.
Shoulder charges were banned from the game in 2013.
Mr Ackerman’s mother, Sonya Ackerman, said the family wanted the game to move forward and become much safer.
“If you need to send somebody off, send them off,” she said. after V1 - GCBE01Z01MA