Rugby League pundit gives “harsh” verdict on Cade Cust red card as Hull FC spirit praised

The red card shown to Hull FC man Cade Cust got rugby league fans talking last week and one pundit has now labelled it a “bit harsh”.

Just a quarter of an hour into the second Hull derby in as many weeks, the Black and Whites’ playmaker Cade Cust clattered Robins’ full-back Arthur Mourgue with the Australian collecting the Frenchman high and with his shoulder.

After the ensuing scuffle was separated, silence fell upon the MKM Stadium as fans awaited the referee’s decision but the red card that Liam Moore flashed was met with groans from one set of fans and delight from the others.

Hull FC would score next and they even threatened a second-half comeback but they’d end up losing 28-14 with Cust’s dismissal a major talking point and turning point in the game. Those talks were sparked again on Monday when the Match Review Panel handed him just a Grade C charge meaning the utility hooker/half escaped a ban.

York Knights’ Head of Rugby and current pundit Andrew Henderson has had his say when appearing on The Sportsman’s Last Tackle podcast, with the former Scotland international labelling the decision a “bit harsh”.

Hull FC red card debated by pundits

Asked to give his thoughts, Henderson responded laid out his interpretation of the challenge by Cust, arguing that the Australian simply couldn’t go anywhere but straight into Mourgue.

“It had a massive impact and when I watched it back, I thought it was a bit harsh,” he explained.

“He’s going hard and trying to attempt to get the ball. My argument is, where can he go? I feel a yellow card would have been sufficient there but I understand the letter of the law and he had made that direct contact with the head and they had to show the red card.”

As for the Black and Whites, they continued to impress him: “I was gutted for Hull at that time because I thought they started well and it was a real competitive fixture. Even when he went off, I thought they showed tremendous character and spirit and endeavour.”

Former two-time Man of Steel winner Paul Sculthorpe also agreed on the nature of the challenge and suggested that a red card was “possibly a bit too much”, but suggested Cust turning his shoulder could have been his undoing.

The ex-St Helens man argued: “Not for one minute do you think that Cade Cust has gone into that to hurt (Arthur) Mourgue. I think it’s two players fully committing to the ball.

“Cust committed to make the tackle if he doesn’t get to the ball and I think Mourgue has lost a bit of height. Coming into a collision, you brace yourself and with his turning his shoulder and catching him there was no doubt.

“It was clear contact to the head and something had to be done. I just think red was possibly a bit too much.”

With Cust evading a ban, it means he is clear to play for Hull FC this weekend when they take on Wigan Warriors. It’s already been confirmed by head coach John Cartwright that star NRL recruit Jordan Rapana won’t feature due to injury.