‘Going to be watching touch and pass next’ – ex-referee Richard Silverwood blasts recent disciplinary actions

It’s fair to say that the recent disciplinary minutes have caused a stir following this weekend’s games.

Hull FC were earlier hit with the news that Luke Gale could be out for as many as eight matches following two separate charges in the Black and Whites’ defeat to St Helens on Saturday afternoon.

The game, broadcast live on Channel 4, kicked off at 12.30pm and was met with a horrific weather deluge as both teams tried their best to play expansive rugby.

Unfortunately, Gale as Hull’s captain was sent off in the 32nd minute for high studs on Saints’ Jonny Lomax.

That charge sees the halfback given a Grade D charge: “Behaves in any way contrary to the true spirit of the game (includes Dangerous Contact) – Other contrary behaviour Grade D.”

A Grade D charge can give anywhere between three and five-match bans.

If that charge wasn’t hefty enough, Gale was also cited as lifting the injured player – Lomax – in the action of the latter getting treatment.

That yielded a Grade C charge: “Behaves in any way contrary to the true spirit of the game (includes Dangerous Contact) – Other contrary behaviour Grade C.”

Now, though former Super League referee Richard Silverwood has called the bans ‘ridiculous’: “Whether you think Gale is a red card or not, 8 games possibly is just ridiculous. Going to be watching touch and pass next. Going way over board with all this now. People want to watch full strength teams and the star players. Sit a week out fair enough but 8.”