Loading “If you call that a spear tackle, you’ve only just started watching this game.” Speaking on Monday’s episode of 100% Footy, Gould threw his support behind Stuart’s sentiments. “I agree with everything he had to say,” Gould said. “He made a really good point. I don’t see that as a spear tackle. I saw it as an accident. I saw it as something that, when you’re played the game, you can understand the velocity at which they travel.

“If you think that was wrong, what did you want him to do differently? A send-off? Not for my life.” Gould went on to reinforce his belief that send-offs should be reserved for “deliberate, malicious or reckless” acts. Fellow panellist Paul Gallen agreed, giving further context to Stuart’s outburst. Debate has swirled over whether the send-off should be used solely for deliberate or malicious incidents. Credit:AAP “What Ricky Stuart was so upset about was a couple of weeks ago, (Parramatta forward Peni) Terepo clocked one of his players and he has to go off the field,” Gallen said.

“There’s no benefit to him. Terepo then gets suspended, but he (Stuart) loses one of his players. “In the Cotric one, it is a total accident, It’s not a send-off, it is a total accident, but he’s got a player down the rest of the game. Gallen also suggested the “outcome” – the degree of injury suffered by the tackled player - plus a player’s intent, should also be taken into consideration when handing down sanctions. But Billy Slater disagreed, telling the panel the actions in the moment were the sole factor to be considered. “I was watching the Terepo one and thought, he’s gone here,” Slater said.

I haven’t seen someone put on their head like that this year or for a long time Billy Slater “I had the same feeling last night with Nick Cotric. He doesn’t have any malice in his game, I haven’t seen it since he’s come into the NRL. But you can only act on their actions. “You can’t act on the type of person they are of their past actions. The referees are going on the actions. I haven’t seen someone put on their head like that this year or for a long time.” Despite agreeing with Slater’s argument that ‘outcomes’ were a minor factor, Gould reiterated that a distinction must be made between a deliberate and accidental act. “We can’t always go down the line of one player is injured, an eye for an eye, this bloke has to go off,’’ he said.

“For me, the deliberate spear tackle is ‘if you’re standing here in a tackle, I put my hand under your groin, pick you up, tip you on your head and say get that into you’. Not that (Cotric) tackle. I don’t think it is a deliberate act.”