The panel accepted the circumstances of the 'offence' recognising the club's genuine appeal and therefore didn't increase the ban. The TV coverage was so poor that it would be hard to argue I guess. With SL you are more likely to get a close up which could help I suppose.
There was a garbled voice-over on the TV coverage that was the Ref or another official saying that 'because of the nature of the offence (contact with the head) that it had to be on report'.
Hard luck on Adam who isn't a dirty player anyway.
There was a comment on the radio coverage of last Sunday's game which referred to a similar situation when a player with the ball fell over going into the tackle and hit his head on the knee of a tackler. The commentator pointed out how stupid that this should possibly amount to 'contact with the head' in the same context as a stiff arm tackle!!! I don't think that the ref saw it that way either.
I may be going OTT but if it continues there are players who will learn how to 'slip' and bang their head if it gets an opposing player sent off!!!!
Its been done before - 'Boxer' Walker running into Mills at Salford and acting out the poleaxed player. Cost us a game/cup run iirc!!!
Big Jim's comment after was that if he bumped into Mills again he wouldn't get up!!
Doesnt the club have the opportunity to go to the appeal hearing and put forward their case as to why the ban should be reduced or overturned?
And don’t the appeals panel have to say why they are turning down the appeal?
I’m sure someone has posted on here before what the panel said about a certain offence.
you can read at least some of what the MRP say on our league. I think it said that the offence wasn’t “frivolous”. Don’t know if there is more other official documentation that we don’t get to see. The slip before the head contact at batley was the same “offence” didn’t look quite so serious and missed by the ref so no consequences. The high tackle by York was intentional, the ref saw it and gave a pen (no card). Just really inconsistent.
I think ultimately, the quality of the footage makes it hard to overturn decisions like this - had there been an alternative angle or different evidence, then maybe it would have had a bit of a better chance.
Unfortunately, slips or no slips, any contact with the head is being substantially cracked down upon (if intentional or not) sadly as a result of the litigation from former players and the RFL's soaring insurance costs.
Joke that it is still 2 matches. But not unexpected.
I see we've got James Child on Sunday. At least he is a ref we've heard of.
Yet Pauli Pauli who did a deliberate trip when the player had beaten him, which resulted in lengthy treatment for the player, didn’t get sent off, and after the disciplinary viewed it, only got a 1 match ban.
No consistency.
Yet Pauli Pauli who did a deliberate trip when the player had beaten him, which resulted in lengthy treatment for the player, didn’t get sent off, and after the disciplinary viewed it, only got a 1 match ban.
No consistency.
A deliberate trip isn't head contact though? Head contact is where the big issues lie.
Pauli’s high tackle earlier in the same game was head contact and deliberate and the ref saw it and gave a pen. No card, no MRP and now ban for that.
I think ultimately, the quality of the footage makes it hard to overturn decisions like this - had there been an alternative angle or different evidence, then maybe it would have had a bit of a better chance.
Unfortunately, slips or no slips, any contact with the head is being substantially cracked down upon (if intentional or not) sadly as a result of the litigation from former players and the RFL's soaring insurance costs.
We know about the clampdown but this just causes teams to cheat knowing if you lie down and wait for the trainer it's worth a card to the opposition. Common sense should prevail but it is the RFL we are dealing with here. Inconsistency is driving both fans and players away from the game.
The stills that Martin provided are proof enough, if the RFL cannot freeze a frame then god help us all.
Agreed Mick, but it is unlikely that the RFL will change much. As we both fear it will become another 'milking' option.
Likewise there seems to be an increase in the 'Doctor' going onto the field for virtually all injuries - hence ref stops game! Or am I misreading the colour of the physio's shirts? Our last two home games have been examples.