Gould lashes out at the NRL

Phil Gould has attacked the NRL for failing to punish dangerous tackling techniques.

Panthers prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard is out for the rest of the season after being injured from a prowler tackle.

“The evolution of the tackling technique is the responsibility of the NRL,” the commentaro, former coach and Panthers executive told Channel Nine.

“What put a player like Reagan Campbell-Gillard in such a vulnerable position is the responsibility of the decisions made over the last 20 years.

“It’s been very poorly handled by the NRL to the point where tackling techniques have evolved to the point where we’re going to have serious injuries all the time.”

“It’s all about the speed of the play the ball.

“People became obsessed with the speed of the play the ball 20 years ago.

“The way they’ve handled that obsession, the way they’ve allowed the coaches to influence the rules, the way the referees and the league have been so easily influenced by those agendas that have been run by coaches and media has led us to where we are today with judo coaches, wrestling coaches, and now leg locks, head locks, grapple tackles, prowler tackles, crusher tackles.

“You name it what’s been introduced into our game because the game hasn’t controlled the tackling technique or how this game should be played.”