Goodbye Danny

[Thunderstruck]

Was anyone glued to Foxsports today? Someone said Fox reported that danny was sacked by the club. Any confirmation?

[steaming stormer]

I can't believe that people on here are trying to defend Williams. Yes, he got hit high, but what he did was nothing short of disgraceful. He chased a bloke, kinghit him and knocked him out. Put the bloke in hospital for gods sake. What he did is a blight on the club, and the game, and there is no reasonable argument against it. I'm sure everyone who has played sport has been frustrated at not getting a call, but to act like Danny is simply not an option.

I think he is lucky that Oneill has apparently been cleared of a broken jaw, because I have a feeling he may have had a little knock on the door from the boys in blue and having a discussion where the word ASSAULT gets brought up. It is similar to what happened with Leigh Matthews and Neville Bruns in the late 80's and it was proven there that an assault can take place on the sporting field.

Thanks for all your work over the years Danny, but I don't think we'll be seeing you in a Storm jersey again.

[Surandy]

Given the precendents set by the judiciary this year I am certain that O'Neill's high tackle on Danny won't even be cited.

In the rare event that he is cited then it will be the lowest grading possible. The ref was shit, how many penalties did he give for not getting off the tackled player? I recall one where a Tigers player pushed a Storm player down as he was getting up to play the ball.

The Tigers were laying in the tackle frequently. I also noticed a couple of very voluntary tackles. I disagree with Storm being penalised for tackling the Tigers player back into the in-goal area. A number of times the ref was calling held when the players were still clearly moving.

[Surandy]

In the rare event that he is cited then it will be the lowest grading possible. The ref was shit, how many penalties did he give for not getting off the tackled player? I recall one where a Tigers player pushed a Storm player down as he was getting up to play the ball.

The Tigers were laying in the tackle frequently. I also noticed a couple of very voluntary tackles. I disagree with Storm being penalised for tackling the Tigers player back into the in-goal area. A number of times the ref was calling held when the players were still clearly moving.

Ah, just read an article in the SMH that explains about some penalties not being given:

Brown was talking about a NRL directive that defenders should be able to lie on a tackled player longer because dominant tacklers were not getting the reward they deserved.

Referees boss Robert Finch told the Dragons about the change at lunchtime on Thursday.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/ ... 13048.html

[bushman]

Dear Steaming Stormer

Have you ever been hit that hard that you dont know which your ass is pointing and looked to take out the bastered that did it in a blind fit of rage if not its not quiet like when the lines says out and your not happy.

The piont that people here are trying to make is.

1) The ref and his lines men where in control of the game.
2) They f###ed up the call.
3) If the game was stoped at that point would Danny have hit him we will never know.
4) Danny will pay for one dum momment but will the Ref or the lines men I think not.
5) Should they? Yes
6) Do we support what danny did? No
7) Understand it? Yes
Support Danny through a tough time for his years of service in the team and out of it? Bloody oath
9) Do I think what O'Neil did to Danny was Ok? No Should he of keept his eye on Danny after Hitting Danny high and Head slamming him? If I had done that in the game, for at least another six sets. So O,Neil must have thorugh it was O,K to do that I gess.

[Buzz]

So lemme get this right Surandy - Storm players dominate a tackle by pushing a Tiger over the try line in one motion - and it's called a double movement hence a penalty to the Tigers?

If you get the chance (or have the inclination) to watch the replay - you'll actually hear Badger call "held" several times as the "tackler" touches a player - not even bringing them to ground. Just yells "Held". I just wish the game was SportsActive so I could've listening only to the Ref - would have made things easier. I was going to say less biased but I'm not even sure that would be the case!

[Surandy]

Buzz, don't ask me, I really don't get this rule interpretation change. Did you read the full article on SMH?

The amount of times refs call "held" when the player hasn't been held or when the ref yells "dominant, lost his legs" even when the player is still standing up. It's getting to be a joke. You aren't allowed fast play the balls as they make the game too exciting. Oh, and makes it even harder for the ref to keep up with the game.

[billies later]

I'm defending Badger and his touchies. They allowed play to continue after the high tackle because Melbourne were close to the line, and they have to play advantage. They were going to come in at the end of the set. Correct Refereeing was displayed on that occasion. Williams You IDIOT.

[cam]

Why is it that we always get the inexperienced ref's... We were getting so frustrated i could see somthing like what danny did happening.
So you guys will never forgive danny for what he did???? i know it was a cowardly thing to do and he should never have taken things into hes own hands, but surely you should know when your doing things with such a high intensity you can have a mind explosion and later regret it, as we saw with Greg Bird.
I just think that one mistake shouldnt take away all the great things he's done for the club on and off the field. And its a sad way to end a Career..he deserve's better.

[Super Cronk]

the way i see it is ...everyone is calling him a thug and a dog...for thisone thing...he has been playing for something like 12 years...and this is what he will be remembered for...wow he once hit roarty or whatever...roarty was a bit of an ass anyway and probly deserved...i know if i had my head slammed i would of done the same thing...danny deserves to be punished but remember if mark o neil didnt do what he did then danny wouldnt have done anything.

[Earl]

Melbourne scored a try on the next play. IMO Badger allowed a good advantage to be played.

[TC]

I'm defending Badger and his touchies. They allowed play to continue after the high tackle because Melbourne were close to the line, and they have to play advantage. They were going to come in at the end of the set. Correct Refereeing was displayed on that occasion. Williams You IDIOT.

Not quite. The ref is not supposed to allow an advantage to be played when a penalty should be awarded for foul play. It happens occasionally but is NOT correct.

[Lord Reynoldson]

The people to blame for ONeill's being knocked out are the officials for their total lack of control and Mark Oneill. The most important aspect of refereeing any sport is player safety, and there was absolutely nothing done by the officials throughout the game to prevent the Tigers from headslamming on a few occasions, and ngoing in with high shots or high swinging arms.

Mark ONeill brought it on himself with his pathetic excuse of a tackle that is somehow the same standard as the Adrian Morley tackle from Friday night. It is absolutely ridiculous. Morley's tackle was not a careless high tackle, and if it was, then ONeill's should be a grade 4 reckless high tackle. The judicary judge players on their reputations and Danny is known as being a tough player and they will wroingly make an example of him.

As far as I'm concerned, Danny Williams did not hit Mark ONeill. Yes, that may sound strange but to me it's true. I've seen Danny Williams play a heck of a lot, and after that shot put on him, the real Danny Williams was knocked out of him.

We have seen in the past what Williams will do if he's pissed off with someone. Against the Broncos a few years ago, some Broncos put on a cheap shot on Danny as the Broncos player got up to play the ball. Danny let the guy look at him and let him make sure he saw it coming. That's the kind of player Danny Williams is. No cheap shots from behind, he'll tell it to his face.

He's also the kind of guy that would have his say and argue his case. What I saw on Saturday night was a case of a high shot knocking the real Danny Williams out of Danny Williams. ONeill brought on what happened. Danny got up, played the ball, looking in a bit of a daze, reaches for the guy he thought had just tried knocking his head off and throws back what he was given. If Mark cant' take it, he should stop attacking a players head. Danny had barely said a word, and that is not like Danny Williams.

It was a case of someone with their senses knocked out of him doing what natural instincts tell him to do - protect himself by taking out those trying to get him.

The Real Danny Williams would NOT have played the ball, he would have gotten up throwing punches, not just one swing, he'd of looked him in the eye, dropped the ball and let the bastard see what was coming. He wouldn't have been able to keep quiet afterwards either, he'd have had plenty to say. That is what DANNY WILLIAMS would have done.

Instead, I saw someone knocked senseless who then proceeded to do what the referee's were fasiling to do - protect people's ssafety, throw a punch that Danny Williams would not have thrown without pulling the guy around to face him to see what was coming. Then, with barely a word spoken, so uncharacteristic of Danny Williams, he stood there while everything else went on, still in a daze from what had happened and then left the field without even a complaint or arguement. That is NOT Danny Williams. He'd of had plenty to say.

What transpired did so at the hands of a Mark ONeill cheap shot that knocked someones senses out and created a monster. ONeill deserves the suspension for striking himself and knocking himself out.

Taking circumstances into account, Danny Williams body may have hit Mark ONeill, but the mind that was Danny Williams was still laying on the ground as a result of Mark ONeill's foul play. For ONeill to have been branded this poor defenseless victim of the whole situation is absolutely pathetic.

No, someone should not be hit the way ONeill was, but Danny Williams was not himself when the incident occured.

He stated that he does not even remember the inncidient, and seeing the tackle quite a few times I can understand why that would be the case.

He should plead insanity/amnesia, whatever and get off without a suspension, because that was NOT Danny Williams in the mind an body that knocked ONeill out. That was a creation of ONeill's foul play. ONeill deserved what he got. For Danny to be found guilty of something that he didn't even conciously do due to concussion/whatever the case is a travesty of justice.

[Buzz]

For those that haven't read the article yet - below is the quoted article from former NRL referee Bill Harrigan. I used to have respect for him... Used to...

Lowest act I've ever seen

THE chickens have finally come home to roost for Melbourne's Danny Williams. His act of foul play in king-hitting Mark O'Neill was the lowest act I've ever seen on a football field.

Most referees are only too well aware of the tactics of Williams.

He plays hard but he also indulges in the forearm across the head when a player is on the ground, the face massage as he leverages himself up again off the tackled player.

It's subtle and he gets away with it more times than not.

When a player gets up complaining about the tackle and you see Williams was the tackler, you know nine times out of 10 there's probably cause to complain.

It's ironic, then, that Williams has taken offence and reacted to a touch of his own medicine.

He copped a high shot and a back slam, then the face massage - all in one tackle.

But what he usually dishes out, he couldn't cop back.

Let's also get some perspective on this incident because there are other issues here to mention.

Mark O'Neill is certainly a victim but he must also share some of the guilt.

Mark was guilty of giving it to Williams in the first place. He hit him with a high shot then back slammed him and finally rubbed his hand in his face when he got up.

Had he not done that you could safely say Williams would not have hit him.

That's no excuse for Danny.

Perhaps if rookie referee Gavin Badger, in only his third first-grade match, had seen O'Neill's tackle and penalised it, the ugly incident may not have happened.

But that's speculative and I'm not pointing the finger at Badger. Gavin stayed calm during the incident and after consulting with his touch judges and video referee correctly dismissed Williams.

No, Williams himself has to take the responsibility.

To take matters into his own hands in the way he did cannot be tolerated.

There are some, including me, who have preached the line that "what happens in the game should stay in the game". In this case I can't go along with that. If action is taken outside the game you'll hear no complaint from me. It was a deliberate assault.

O'Neill wasn't aware of it coming - and remember that only a few months ago we lost David Hookes to a similar style of assault.

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

*Good Stuff*

And I thought you clamed not to be sane.

A real big man says sorry when he is wrong....And thats what Danny has done.