Super League Disciplinary: Ground-breaking decision explained

The Match Review Panel have taken the historic decision to not charge a single player after the latest round of fixtures in what is believed to be a Super League disciplinary first.

No charges being handed out by the Match Review Panel is believed by the RFL to have been made for the first time – it is at least the first for a number of years, and the first since the new system of disciplinary action was introduced.

As always, the Match Review Panel watched every game, but Serious About Rugby League has had it confirmed by the RFL that they found no incidents worthy of a charge.

Therefore, there will be no additional players unavailable for upcoming rounds.

Whilst no charges or bans were handed down it doesn’t necessarily mean that the Match Review Panel didn’t come close to charging someone. They looked at all the incidents across the matches, as per usual in the Super League disciplinary process.

Who may have been close to being banned?

Warrington may have been worried about hooker Danny Walker, after his tackle on Ryan Brierley off the ball saw a penalty try awarded.

In that game, Salford centre Tim Lafai caught an opposition player around the neck with his swinging arm, and could also potentially have found himself charged.

The fixture also saw a devastating injury to young Leon Hayes, who has an ankle injury and had to be stretchered off the field.

No replays of the incident were shown, so it’s unclear whether the tacklers were at fault; a couple of weeks ago, Castleford Tigers’ Sylvester Namo was handed a hefty ban for ‘Dangerous Contact’ with the severity of injury sustained by Willie Isa a leading factor in the ban.

Wigan and Hull KR were involved in a brief scuffle during their game, with Matt Parcell for KR and Tyler Dupree for the Warriors both key suspects.

However, the Panel have clearly decided there was nothing to warrant a ban.

Who is currently serving bans?

Catalans Dragons hooker Michael McIlorum has one game remaining on his ban. He was handed two separate sanctions – a Grade B trips and Grade B Dangerous Contact – both of which are at the higher end of the grade, receiving a 1one-match Penalty Notice for each.

Sylvester Namo was handed a Grade F Dangerous Contact charge – the highest possible grade – for a tackle which led to an injury for Willie Isa, who was stretchered off the field. He received a five-game ban, despite the charge being downgraded at the Operational Rules Tribunal to a Grade E.

Catalans’ Mike McMeeken and Wigan’s Liam Byrne are both free to return to action for Round Ten.

A full list of all the charges this season can be found here.