Hugh McGahan: Hot air tackled over the Ditch

An injured Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

There's been plenty of hot air coming out of Australia this week about that tackle on Johnathan Thurston.

Beau Scott's lifting tackle was dangerous, no question, and he should have been suspended. But to suggest rules should be changed to give more protection to playmakers, as Australia captain Cameron Smith spouted, is ludicrous.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett labelled those who complained about Newcastle's treatment of Thurston as "drama queens" and said elite players should expect to get targeted. I agree.

The rules should be the same for every player, regardless of whether you're a prop, hooker or halfback, and there's enough protection already.

We don't want to go down the road of NFL where playmakers are a protected species.

The last thing we want is to see these guys running with the ball and then diving to the ground when they come towards a defender.

They already get some extra protection, after rules came in trying to stop players from attacking the legs of kickers or hitting them late or dangerously. And most kickers play in the No 6 or 7 jersey.

It's up to the referees to make the calls. If anything, it was the referees and system that let Thurston down last week.

Scott was trying to rattle Thurston and it worked but he did it illegally. For that, he should have been suspended.

A handful of former players have suggested that the ribs of playmakers are exposed if they take it to the line in second-man plays. So?

Again, there should be no difference if they are a prop or a five-eighth. If they are worried about their ribs, then they shouldn't take the ball to the line where they could get hit hard. I don't see the need to change the rules to protect two players.

I would like to see referees use the sin bin more often. Instead, referees tend to put players on report if they suspect foul play. They're taking the easy option out.

They sometimes use it for professional fouls, when a team tries to slow things down, but are for some reason reluctant to do it with dangerous play.

If they suspect foul play, particularly if an opposition player is injured, they should take action. Often the attacking team are disadvantaged if one of their players is taken out, yet there's no immediate punishment for the offending team. That's not right.

If players continue to get away with things because referees are reluctant to use the sin bin, then they will continue to push things to the limit.

Rugby league is combative and that's why we love this game.