Super League Disciplinary: Five clubs could face suspension worries

The Rivals Round in Super League has come to an end with many significant games over the Easter Weekend. Such are the size of the games, it is no surprise that a number of Super League disciplinary issues were raised.

The weekend started with Castleford Tigers welcoming Leeds Rhinos to the Jungle in the first Super League fixture of the Rivals Round.

In the first half, Castleford Tigers reached halftime with the scores at 0-0, leaving the Rhinos frustrated heading into the interval. However, in the second half, Castleford struggled to maintain the same tempo as in the first half. Tries from Paul Momirovski and Lachlan Miller proved to be the difference between the two sides on match day one.

Cas did get a try late in the second half, but it was too little, too late, for Lingard’s men, and the final score was 26-6. Then, as Hull KR and Hull FC met, it was another disappointing derby day result for Tony Smith’s side on Good Friday, with the final score at 34-10.

Hull KR scored six tries in the first half, giving them a 28-0 lead heading into the break. This left Smith’s side with a lot to do in the second half. Hull FC tried to get back in the game. Attempts from Okunbor and Scott in the space of three minutes gave Hull FC belief that they could turn this around.

However, Hull FC were unable to capitalise after scoring those tries, and about ten minutes before the end of the game, Tanginoa scored the try that sealed the win once and for all. Then the favorites collided as St Helens hosted Super League Champions Wigan Warriors. Just 20 years from that brutal game between the two sides at the old Knowsley Road, the two sides looked to go one step further and take all two points at the end of the game.

It was a nervy first half for both sets of fans. Wigan tried their best to keep the Saints out, but a penalty was awarded to the Saints midway through the first half. Percival converted the kick to give the Saints a narrow lead heading into halftime. Wigan got themselves in front for the first time in the game, a moment of brilliance for the 2023 Man of Steel, Bevan French, who slipped the ball through and scored a crucial try for Wigan early into the second half.

But just after coming back on, Liam Bryne found himself back on the touchline a minute later after seeing red for a high tackle that proved costly for his side. In the end, Wigan’s efforts in the first half to keep the Saints out proved costly. Attempts from Makinson and Hurrell sealed a famous win for the Saints, who won the game 12-4 and placed them top of the league.

This red card for Liam Byrne will likely be a major talking point in Super League Disciplinary. Another Super League Disciplinary talking point may be the yellow card to Tyler Dupree.

Then Warrington Wolves welcomed Catalans Dragons at Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday afternoon as both sides looked to snatch top spot with a win. It was an unbelievable start for the Dragons, scoring three tries in the first twelve minutes of the game.

However, the Wolves tried to claw it back with two tries from Musgrove and King, which got them within which of the Catalans at the end of the first half. Catalans Dragons started the second half as they did the first, with two early tries coming from Rouge and Johnstone as they looked to kill the game off in style.

Warrington got on the score sheet in the second half, but it proved to mean very little in the end as Jordan Abdull finished the game with a late try two minutes before the end to secure a 32-24 win after a second-half scare. Later that day, on Easter Saturday, the Salford Red Devils took on rivals Leigh Leopards at the AJ Bell Stadium for an early evening kick-off.

The Red Devils got themselves on the scoreboard first with a penalty kick from the clinical Marc Sneyd to give them control early on. Just five minutes later, the talented Ryan Brierley, making his 300th appearance, bagged himself the first try of the game, just by the post, which was confidently converted by Syned once again.

Leigh Leopards struggled to control this game as Salford looked hungry for more. Halfway through the second half, Leigh did get a try back from Umyla Hanley, but Matt Moylan failed to convert from the spot.

Salford picked up two more tries at the end of the first half, giving them a 20-6 point lead heading into halftime. Leigh started the second half well, but it was Salford who got the first try in the second half, giving Leigh very little chance of getting back into the game.

However, the Leopards did get a couple of tries later on. Tries from Lachlan Lam and Hanley. But it proved to be not enough in the end, as Salford edged their rivals on Rivals Weekend, with the final score of 32-22.

The last game of Rivals Round saw Huddersfield Giants claim a comfortable win over London Broncos.

Super League Disciplinary Concerns

Unsurprisingly, after Rivals Round and big games such as the Wigan and Saints derby and the Hull derby, there are a number of Super League Disciplinary concerns heading into the Match Review Panel.

The biggest is of course the red card to Byrne but there could be a further concern for the Wigan Warriors with Tyler Dupree’s yellow card. Jon Wilkin felt on Sky Sports that it could be cause for concern in terms of disciplinary.

There could be a concern for Paul Vaughan after his yellow card for a tip tackle and the same kind of tackle could have Leeds Rhinos star Ash Handley in trouble.

Leeds will hope that the Match Review Panel have the same view as the officials as well when it comes to Justin Sangare’s tackle on Joe Westerman.

In the Hull derby, Hull KR star Kelepi Tanginoa was guilty of a high tackle whilst there may be a minor worry over the incident between Mikey Lewis and Darnell McIntosh.