Sam Tomkins has gone in on Wakefield Trinity prop Emre Guler for his Friday night red card, labelling it ‘as dumb as a play that I’ve seen’, whilst questioning how either head coach can defend the incident.
Guler was sent off in Wakefield’s 26-16 home play-off win against Leigh Leopards, with Trinity booking their spot in a first-ever Super League semi-final but the Wakefield prop almost certainly won’t be playing.
He was sent off by referee Chris Kendall for a punch to the head of Owen Trout, something that would typically result in a Grade E charge and therefore a multiple-game ban that would in turn rule the prop out for next week’s play-off clash.
Leigh boss Adrian Lam said that he did not think Guler’s red was deserved, whilst his own head coach Daryl Powell called it a ‘harsh’ one but Sam Tomkins disagreed with both men.
“The red card, I reckon that’s as dumb as a play that I’ve seen,” Tomkins said on Sky Sports in the aftermath of the game.
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Wakefield Trinity send-off a ‘mad and dumb play’
Going further, Tomkins said: “Guler, who’s just in a tough tackle, nothing wrong with it, decides to start throwing a punch when he’s got the ball in his hand.
“I couldn’t agree with what the coaches have said there, that it’s not deserved. I think that’s absolutely deserved.”
He put forth the argument that just because the prop had the ball in one hand, it didn’t mean he could throw a punch with the other, stating: “If he’s not got the ball in his hand and he starts throwing a punch like that, he’s getting red carded.”
Pundit Jon Wilkin gave his own verdict, adding: “He just got banged by Owen Trout, didn’t like it, had a strop, and punched him and got sent off.
“You could shake your head and all of that I just think he’s a mad and dumb play.”
Emre Guler is sent off! ❌ pic.twitter.com/5FcY3Cd0H1
— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) September 18, 2026
