RUGBY LEAGUE
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Dragons coach Paul McGregor has joined the chorus of confusion and frustration at the NRL's recent crackdown on shoulder charges.
The shoulder charge was banned from the game three years ago, soon after then-St George Illawarra forward Dean Young was knocked out by Greg Inglis in a sickening on-field collision.
Two weeks ago the governing body announced it would increase the mandatory penalties for shoulder charge offences, raising the minimum suspension to one week.
It brought about criticism from some of the game's highest profiles, including Parramatta legend Peter Sterling.
A host of current players have not been afraid to voice their opinions on the matter.
McGregor supports the concept of eradicating the shoulder charge from rugby league, but says there are too many grey areas to the rule.
"It depends what's classed as a shoulder charge," McGregor said.
"I think the true shoulder charge should be out of the game, but some of the ones I'm seeing at the moment ... it's questionable.
"There is a specific rule with that and we've all got to abide by it.
"If the players do the wrong thing they've got to serve the punishment."
The Dragons' defence has been hailed this year as one of the best in the competition.
They have the third best defensive record of all 16 clubs, sitting only behind the Roosters and the Storm.
McGregor believes it's partly up to NRL coaches to help get rid of the shoulder charge, starting with basic defensive technique.
"It all comes down to how you train and how you prepare for games," he said.
"You talk about wrapping an arm around [to tackle] all the time.
"But sometimes in a split second things can go wrong, and no one might get injured but someone gets a harsh penalty out of it."
It comes as Steve Matai has given a surprise endorsement to the NRL's controversial shoulder charge crackdown, saying it will sort out true hitters from the pretenders.
Renowned as one of the hardest hitters in rugby league, Manly centre Matai said it was his brother who convinced him that the rule change was a blessing in disguise.
"He was saying that anybody could put on a shoulder charge and look like a hitter," Matai said on Wednesday.
"But he said when that got taken out, it's taken the pretenders out of the game.
"It brings all the true hitters to the forefront of the game."
While it was just 12 days ago that the NRL announced changes to its shoulder charge laws, Matai said he didn't need to make any changes to his defensive technique.
"If anything, my problem was my arm was too high," Matai said.
FINALS COUNTDOWN
DRAGONS v PANTHERS
Thursday (7.45pm)
WIN Stadium
The Dragons have lost their past five against Penrith, the only team they have failed to defeat since 2012
Penrith’s win in Wollongong last year was just their second at WIN Stadium in more than 20 years
Tyrone Peachey’s five line breaks against the Warriors last week was the first time a player achieved the feat since Melbourne’s Will Chambers in round 24, 2014