Leigh Leopards star’s ban ‘a bit harsh’ as Adrian Lam calls for end to ‘outrageous’ rule

Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has given his verdict on Alec Tuitavake’s ban whilst calling for another rule to be removed from the game.

Leopards’ forward Tuitavake was handed a Grade B charge, which carried three penalty points, taking him to a total of six. That is the benchmark for a one-match ban, meaning Leigh will be without the forward for Friday’s clash with Leeds Rhinos.

Asked for his opinion on it, Lam outlined the nature of the disciplinary system but called the charge “a bit harsh”, stating that his players are coached to make contact with the passer when a tackle is on.

He said: “It’s unlucky for Alec because he did everything that he was asked to, he probably could have slowed down in the contact. I thought it was a bit harsh and it could have been downgraded, but you’re just nervous of the fact that going to the judiciary and fighting it could have made it worse and get a two-week suspension.

“We’ve accepted it but it’s difficult because a ball player in Partington playing at the line the way that he did, it’s hard to say to someone, ‘Don’t do that’. It’s something that we’re coaching with the team but we’ll accept it this week and we’ll move on.”

Leigh Leopards boss rules on new disciplinary system after player’s ban

Lam was also asked for his thoughts on the new disciplinary system, whereby penalty points accumulate through the season as opposed to players being handed immediate bans.

His verdict: “At the moment, it seems to be working. Every club at this point of the season has probably three or four players that are like Alec this week, where you make one more mistake and you’re out for a week.

“The whole idea of it was to delay these sort of situations so the players aren’t getting suspended earlier on in the season more than often. So I think it’s working to some degree, but I think there needs to be some adjustments to it as we go along.”

As he moved onto the suggestions of adjustments, he outlined one law that has always existed but is being enforced more so this year as one he believes should be removed from the game.

“For instance, one of the rules that I’m frustrated about that I think we need to look at as a sport is the downtown rule,” the Leigh Leopards coach argued.

“I think it’s a penalty that just doesn’t need to exist. I presume every coach and every supporter in the game would agree with me on this point. That’s something I just want to flag and have as a talking point over the next couple of weeks leading into the season because I think it’s a penalty that’s just not needed and needs to be eradicated out of the game.”

The downtown rule more specifically relates to offside players becoming involved with the play, however, Lam was bemoaning offside players not being made onside by the ball carrier.

Adrian Lam talks on rule that ‘needs to go as quickly as possible’

Outlining a situation from the game against Catalans, Lam explained how the ball was kicked to his team with the full-back then carrying out and getting tackled. At that point, he claimed that ‘90% of your team is in front of the play the ball, still trying to get back behind the ball’.

If any of those players are then involved in the next play then Leigh would be penalised, despite the ball carrier running beyond those offside players.

“There was a real critical time in the game on the weekend where we had an offload to one of our players through the middle of the field, and it was a penalty against,” he explained.

“It doesn’t (make sense) for me because we want our game to be a fully flowing game and to support the attacking team as much as possible because we want it to be an attacking game, not a defensive game. That’s just from a viewer’s point of view.

“For us to have the ball on tackle one, us carry and then get an offload to a player that was in that position on tackle two and then get a penalty against is just against the complete run of the game and everything that the game stands for, in my opinion.”

Labeling it as a rule that changes momentum and is ‘outrageous’, he stated: “It’s one rule that I think needs to go as quickly as possible.”

He would go on to confirm that he hasn’t spoken with the RFL about it and that it had just ‘come across my mind’ due to talk of the new disciplinary system and rule changes.

Lam clarified: “That hasn’t changed. It’s just never been looked at as deeply as it is at the moment. I just think there’s nothing good about it.”

🐆 𝗦𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗦

This is the squad Adrian has selected for Round 16 pic.twitter.com/vHDimzcQkz

— Leigh Leopards (@LeighLeopardsRL) June 25, 2025