Steve Deane: Tackle on big man should be chopped

The Warriors v Parramatta Eels game. Photo / Janna Dixon

Eels winger Etu Uaisele won't face any sanctions for the tackle that has put Manu Vatuvei out for at least a third of a season. The tackle wasn't illegal - but it should be.

Like records, knees are made to be broken. Uaisele's Polaris missile strike on Vatuvei's right knee means it's time the NRL recognised that.

"It shouldn't be like that," a rueful Vatuvei said after the match. "It's really dangerous and I've got injured from it. He just flew at my knees and got me really good. It's part of the game, they do whatever to try to stop me. Anyone will do anything to try to stop me, especially if I've got the size on them."

Vatuvei and his coach gave Uaisele the benefit of the doubt that his crazy actions were a spur-of-the-moment thing, but that doesn't change the fact the NRL will be without one of its biggest stars for a big chunk of the season.

"It's fair to say that if Manu is coming at you full pelt you do what you can, and that is what he did," Ivan Cleary said. "It was just one of those things. When Manu does anything it is a pretty big collision and unfortunately he came out on the wrong end. There have been plenty of other blokes come out the wrong end other times."

True, but there was only ever going to be one winner when Uaisele speared in at Vatuvei. For those who didn't see it, faced with Vatuvei charging straight at him at full pace, Uaisele chose to dive head-first straight at Vatuvei's right knee. His head made contact first, with his shoulder following through. Somehow Uaisele survived. Vatuvei's knee didn't.

"I thought it was [serious] straight away. I was hoping it wasn't my AC," Vatuvei said. "I'm really, really gutted. I'm down on myself and pretty angry at the moment."

It is the first time Vatuvei has encountered a tackle of that nature. Hopefully it will be the last. Uaisele's tackle was straight out of American Football - from the 1980s. The NFL knows full well the value of its superstars, and moves swiftly to protect them.

Attacking quarterbacks above the shoulders and below the knees has long been banned. But when superstar Patriots quarterback Tom Brady suffered a serious knee injury in 2008 after being tackled by a player who was already on the ground, the NFL introduced "the Brady Rule", banning prone players from tackling quarterbacks. Clipping, an offence where blockers hit opponents in the lower legs from behind, is illegal because of the damage it can do to
players' knees, likewise chop blocking - or blocking at and below the knees - is banned on all kick plays, when players are all moving at high speeds.

Uaisele's attack on Vatuvei was a classic case of chopping. The difference with the NFL is that the Eels winger wasn't wearing a helmet or significant padding, meaning he was putting himself in harm's way every bit as much as he was Vatuvei. That the unquestionably brave Uaisele emerged unscathed was remarkable. But his willingness to make such a tackle - and its success in not only bringing Vatuvei down but putting him out of the game - means it
is time such plays were legislated against.

Just like grappling, prowling and chicken-winging, there's no place for chopping in the NRL.