South Sydney Rabbitohs player Jack Wighton has received a significant three-game suspension following a controversial shoulder charge on Cronulla Sharks’ Toby Rudolf. The incident, which occurred during a recent match, left both coaches tight-lipped after the game, prompting discussions about the implications of such disciplinary actions within the league.
As it stands Wighton will miss the next three matches due to the ban received for the high shot. If he fights the charge and is unsuccessful, he will be ruled out of a fourth match against St George Illawarra. South Sydney is on the verge of a personnel disaster. For perspective, the Storm had 13 first-graders remaining on ice during their last loss to the top of the table Sharks.
Rudolf was evaluated for a possible head injury resulting from the hit and ruled out for return to play. His absence will be felt by Cronulla in their important clash against North Queensland, adding to the left-side carnage on both clubs.
Jamie Humphreys will partner Lewis Dodd in the Souths’ halves. His fans, and all of us here at the Institute, are counting the days until his next game! He needs to be symptom-free from his mild concussion first before being cleared to play.
This latest incident has already led to comparisons with the suspension of a much bigger name. Yet last year, Dale Finucane only copped a two-game ban for a textbook king hit on Stephen Crichton. Finucane has since retired from professional competition. This ruling shines a new spotlight on player safety and reckless enforcement of rules in the sport.
Craig Fitzgibbon, head coach of the Sharks, weighed in. As he noted, the last time his team faced a call like this, they lost.
“He was just trying to shift energy for his team. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong.” – Craig Fitzgibbon
Both Wighton and South Sydney’s coach, Wayne Bennett, refrained from elaborating on the shoulder charge in-depth after the game. In the wake of that incident, I can’t help but wonder what their opinions are on that incident and its effect on the team.
