Shoulder Charge "Killer" Francis Molo Faces Suspension For Hit On Dead Man's Team Mate

Francis Molo, the 21 year old polynesian man-mountain, has unleashed another illegal shoulder charge, this time on the teammate of the man he killed with the same tackle last year.

Molo, who is on contract with NRL club the Brisbane Broncos, was playing in the second-tier In Trust Super Cup for North Devils when the illegal and sometimes deadly tackle took place.

His opponents were the Sunshine Coast Falcons, whose prop forward James Ackerman he killed with a shoulder charge last year.

Ackerman was returning the ball off the kick off - a sequence of the game in which attacking and defensive lines are separated by a distance of 50 meters and slam into each other creating a collision unlike anything in world sport. The 115 kilo Molo hit Ackerman in the chest with everything. The whiplash of his head rocking back was enough to kill the father of two, who died in hospital two days later. Molo was given an eight week suspension for the tackle.

"I don't know the exact words (aimed at Molo) but it was something like 'what, are you trying to kill me next?'" said SUNSHINE Coast Falcons chairman Ashley Robinson of the incident in the weekend's game. "I'm not happy about it, but I don't really blame them either," he added of the ensuing brawl that took place after the victim, Jacob Samoa took exception and let fly a flurry of upper cuts to the head of Molo.

Queensland Cup rugby league game interrupted by ugly on-field brawl. — 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland)July 18, 2016

Samoa along with teammate Tom Murphy are facing suspensions of up to two weeks for their role in the fight while Molo is facing three weeks on the sideline for the shoulder charge.

The In Trust Super Cup is made up of highly trained, highly paid professionals such as Molo as well as working class amateurs like Ackerman.Shoulder charges were banned worldwide by Rugby League's International Federation in 2013. Until then the hit was considered one of the hallmarks of entertainment and toughness in the game. Shoulder charges remain a constant in rugby league though are harshly penalised during the match and often net with lengthy suspensions afterwards.

It hasn't stopped an ongoing debate among commentators, players and ex-players about whether it should be re-instated as a legal part of the game. Bulldogs Prop, Sam Kasiano, made headlines last year after declaring the "game has gone soft" and calling for the hit to be brought back. This was after he was on the receiving end of a shoulder charge from Roosters forward Kane Evans.

"The fans come to see the big hits. That's the biggest hit you can do, a shoulder charge. I got up smiling, I just wanted him to have a run. To get-square," he told the Daily Telegraph.