Kevin Brown slams red card decision in Castleford Tigers clash

Former Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves and Huddersfield Giants star Kevin Brown has had his say on Liam Watts’ red card for Castleford Tigers against Brown’s former club Wigan.

Brown said of the incident that fundamentally changed the game: “I just didn’t think it was a red card. I thought, you know, he did catch his head. But I didn’t think there was any malice. I didn’t think there was mitigation. I thought Tyler Dupree was leaning in at best. He may have been falling. But for me, I thought, yeah, penalty.

“He’s dropping. He’s dropping. So when you call mitigation, he’s leaning forward, he’s dropping. Look, it doesn’t look good and he doesn’t miss him but what’s the difference with Kaide Ellis he hit the Luke Hooley in the head also.”

Huddersfield star split on Castleford Tigers decision

Meanwhile, his fellow pundit on BBC Two, Huddersfield Giants star Ash Golding, was split on the decision. He felt that there was no intent to cause damage from Watts:

“Yeah well look I’m in two minds on this one because we have been told you know any direct contact to the head with intent will be a red card and but it’s the word intent that I’m going to hold on to there and I don’t think there was any intent in this I think the intent was just to make a tackle.”

The game also saw Kaide Ellis avoid a red card for a high tackle due to the fact his back was bent to make the tackle whilst Harry Smith also avoided a red despite a tip tackle. Both incidents were on former Leeds Rhinos star Luke Hooley in the first half.

Smith was shown a yellow and shortly after Watts was sent off with Cas leading 4-2 in a move that fundamentally changed the game and led to a 32-4 win over the Super League Champions a week before their World Club Challenge clash against NRL Champions Penrith Panthers.