Lee Radford gives his honest opinion on whether Jack Welsby should have been sent off

St Helens backed up their World Club Challenge win last week with a Super League victory to start the defence of their title against the Castleford Tigers.

They led 12-0 in the second half but the Tigers got themselves back into the game with a penalty try as Jack Broadbent headed for the corner but was tackled high by Jack Welsby.

Welsby admitted after the game on Channel 4 that he was concerned that there would be a yellow card for him.

He said on Channel 4: “I was glad not to see the yellow card come out, but I was disappointed to see them get a try under the sticks. I did my best.”

After the game, Castleford Tigers coach Lee Radford also gave his view on the decision:

“I think he probably scores if he doesn’t have his head taken off. I think it was the right call.”

When asked if it should have been a yellow card, Radford said:

“I don’t know, I am not an official, I genuinely don’t know. You would have to ask the man in the middle.

“The fact he stayed on but we scored got us back in the game.”

Radford also revealed that his side strayed away from the game plan:

“The plan we had was get down field and kick from a good place in the field and not have to kick from deep but that penny didn’t really drop.

“The plan was to play expansive and try and get down field and like I say kick in a good position and not have to kick from deep.

“The plan was that we didn’t have to score every set but when there are thousands of people cheering you on, you can get excited.

“We didn’t see too much ball because of those errors, we would make a break and then let them attack us on our own line. A funny old game.”