27 Jul 2012

NRL to review shoulder charge

6:10 am on 27 July 2012

Rugby League's NRL bosses have thrown their support behind a review into the use of shoulder charges for next season.

The issue has become the biggest talking point in the game and, at a meeting in Australia yesterday, representatives from all 16 clubs heard general manager of football operations Nathan McGuirk outline the nature of the review.

As announced earlier, former Sydney Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan will oversee the investigation through the NRL research board.

It will include a study of existing injury data, an analysis of playing trends, plus player, medical and legal opinion.

Roosters coach Brian Smith says the time has come for the shoulder charge to be looked at following the sickening hit on Dean Young by Greg Inglis that earned the South Sydney fullback a three-game suspension.

Smith is the first coach to publicly discuss outlawing the tactic while players from a number of clubs this week said it would be wrong to rub it out.

Support was also given at the CEO's meeting for a proposed pre-season nine-a-side competition in New Zealand starting in 2014.