The National Rugby League is set to come under pressure to again alter its shoulder charge laws after Issac Luke, Jorge Taufua and Aidan Guerra all escaped bans over the controversial tackle at the NRL judiciary last night.
South Sydney hooker Isaac Luke Photo: Photosport
A night that was meant to be a test of the NRL's tightened shoulder charge interpretation turned farcical when the three-man panel took just 21 minutes in total to throw out the respective grade one shoulder charges against the trio.
South Sydney boss John Lee had called for the NRL to rejig its new laws prior to the hearing and was an interested onlooker during the case against Rabbitohs and Kiwis hooker Luke.
Isaac Luke will still sit out Souths' match against Canterbury tomorrow night after he made an early guilty plea on a dangerous throw against the Cowboys.
The NRL announced their intention to change the shoulder charge laws in the wake of Kane Evans' hit on Sam Kasiano on the morning of the round 22 opener between Manly and Souths.
Guerra summed up the general mood at the judiciary when he spoke after his not guilty verdict was handed down.
"The fact that I was here was a bit of joke in the first place," he said
"When I got told I was coming I honestly thought they were joking. The fact that common sense prevailed - I am happy.
"They (the NRL) are up against it, but certainly as seen by the evidence they have got it wrong this week.
"That is the good thing about having the judiciary (panel) of ex-players there and that definitely worked in the footballers' favour tonight."
