The Serve

…and in the other code

South’s forward Jaiman Lowe walks up to an opponent, then, without warning, decks him.

Four weeks.

Rewind to 2004. Danny Williams from the Storm walks up to an opponent, then without warning, decks him.

Eighteen weeks.

Some are quick to dismiss the correlation, claiming Williams’ knock out of Tigers prop Mark O’Neill was worse. How? Perhaps Williams blow was more violent. It certainly had a more violent result. However, the pair are intrinsically linked by the fact they were out of the blue and totally uncalled for, with no warning.

Somehow Williams’ actions are four times worse.

Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson wants to argue about the usage of the term ‘king-hit’. A king-hit in this context would appear incorrect, given the victim, Brett Delaney saw the punch coming. Not much he could do about it, mind you. But he saw it.

Semantics. Lowe still walked up to the bloke and jobbed him.

The review panel explained their leniency by claiming the pair were in a ‘combative stance’. Garbage. Delaney was walking backwards, lifting his hands only when Lowe’s left hand was placed near his throat. At no stage did the Titans centre appear ready or willing to get involved in fisticuffs.

Provocation was not an issue. The panel later dismissing claims that Lowe was grabbed in the testicles by Delaney, because of a lack of evidence. Even if this was proven, it is hardly enough motive for a sickening blow to the head.

Souths know they dodged a bullet. That was made clear by their lightning fast guilty plea. Once the NRL charge sheet was handed out, it took less than an hour for a guilty plea to be entered and a statement, filled with quotes, was sent to all and sundry. They were like a card player staring at pocket aces while someone else goes all-in. The Rabbitohs could have feigned disdain and waited a few hours, but they couldn’t believe their luck they shoved their chips in the middle before anyone had a chance to take the cards off them. They won the hand and left the table.

Four weeks. At least Lowe got his moneys worth.