Sonny Bill Williams' latest tweet on the shoulder charge issue should finally put an end to the debate about the tackle returning to the NRL.

Williams, who was regarded as arguably the best exponent of the tackle before it was outlawed at the end of the 2013 season, had tweeted after the spectacular hit by Sydney Roosters prop Kane Evans on Canterbury frontrower Sam Kasiano last Friday night:

BRING BACK THE SHOULDER CHARGE!!!!! cheeeoooooo— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) July 31, 2015

​But after reading the heartfelt plea by the brother of James Ackerman, the player who died after a recent Queensland Cup match, Williams had a different view.

As much as I love the shoulder charge your right bro, Safety must come first! Such a sad story #keepitbanned https://t.co/tnFlHI41Xy— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) August 4, 2015

If Williams, the former Sydney Roosters and Canterbury star whose 2004 hit on Penrith prop Joel Clinton still features on video footage of the game's biggest hits, can accept the need for the shoulder charge ban then surely everyone else can.

Sadly, Ackerman's tragic death has underlined why the shoulder charge no longer has a place in the game and comments from Australian captain Cameron Smith also helped put the issue into perspective.

"Only five weeks ago, James Ackerman tragically lost his life to a shoulder charge," Smith told reporters on Tuesday.

"Whether it was the direct contact to the head or the effects of the blow, to me it doesn't matter. If someone has lost their life to a tackle such as a shoulder charge, we shouldn't even be looking at it."

While not everyone agrees, it is difficult to argue - especially after reading the impassioned Facebook post on the shoulder charge from Ackerman's brother, Andrew, who wrote: "Keep it banned and never bring it back".

There seems to be some confusion over the fact Evans was penalised but not charged for what was a perfectly executed shoulder charge that did not result in any contact with the head or neck of Kasiano, or cause any whiplash effect.

Some people seem to be of the view that if Evans wasn't charged then he shouldn't have been penalised - but that would be giving the green light to players to ignore the ban on shoulder charges.

In a bid to deter players from attempting the tackle, the NRL has made the penalties for a shoulder charge the highest of any offence and any player charged with a grade one shoulder charge will serve at least a one match suspension, even if they have a previously unblemished record and plead guilty.

Former NRL match review committee chief Greg McCallum said that shoulder charges were like high tackles in that not all are worthy of a judiciary charge but they are illegal and players will be penalised on the field.

"As the shoulder charge is illegal a penalty would be expected if contact was made by the shoulder to the body of an opponent," McCallum explained.

"However, under the code a charge would be made out if the contact was to head of an opponent or causing forceful whiplash/rebounding of the head/neck.

"In the Evans incident there was no head contact or whiplash effect on Kasiano. Yes it was a shoulder charge and yes it warranted a penalty but no charge. It remains though a very high risk action."