Super League disciplinary loophole to be used with Castleford Tigers star’s two bans explained

Castleford Tigers star Jeremiah Simbiken has been hit with two separate bans which somewhat counter each other in the new disciplinary system.

After Castleford’s 38-24 loss to Leeds Rhinos in Round Three of Super League, Simbiken has been hit with two charges, both carrying bans but he will only serve one due to a much-maligned disciplinary loophole.

The new Super League disciplinary system means that charges do not necessarily equate to bans with charges instead landing players penalty points.

Those penalty points then add up and bans are handed out once certain thresholds are met, however, the RFL opted to implement a system comparable to double jeopardy in that players cannot earn credit back for serving their bans.

For example, a player with zero penalty points earns a Grade C charge worth five points which equates to a fine on the disciplinary threshold.

Once that fine is paid, the player’s penalty points for the incident are halved on account of them serving that punishment. If that player then picked up another Grade C charge in the future, those five points would take them to a total of 7.5 points instead – because the previous five point charge had been halved.

After Round Three of Super League the Match Review Panel have convened to charge players and Castleford Tigers forward Jeremiah Simbiken has been hit with two separate charges, one at Grade C level and one at Grade B.

Here is why each of those incidents will earn him a one-match ban as well as why a disciplinary loophole will ensure he only actually misses one Super League game.

Castleford Tigers star hit with two bans as Super League disciplinary process explained

Like the player in the above example, Simbiken had previously been handed a Grade C charge meriting five points and a fine but upon paying that fine, his points tally reset to 2.5.

Simbiken’s first charge from Sunday’s match against Leeds Rhinos was a Grade C Dangerous Contact charge. Grade C charges carry five penalty points thus taking his total to 7.5 penalty points.

Per the disciplinary tariffs, that is punishable by a one-match ban thus the second-rower is handed his first ban.

Providing he accepts that ban, he then has the penalty points for it halved meaning that his ‘disciplinary licence’, so to speak, is reset to five penalty points.

Later in the clash at Headingley, Simbiken picked up a Grade B Dangerous Contact charge worth three points therefore taking his total to eight penalty points.

Once again, per the disciplinary tariffs, that is punishable by a one-match ban so he is banned for a second game.

Half of those three points are then taken back so now Simbiken has 6.5 points on his licence after he has served his bans.

One more twist in this is the fact that Castleford Tigers do not play two games in the next two weeks on account of the fact they have been knocked out of the Challenge Cup but their Reserve team do play on that Challenge Cup weekend.

As a result, Simbiken will be able to ‘serve’ the second of his one-match bans in that Reserves game against Wakefield Trinity meaning that he only actually misses one Super League game anyway, despite being handed two one-match bans.

Serious About Rugby League previously confirmed that the ‘Reserve’ loophole would still exist for the 2025 season and it has sadly not taken long for it to rear it’s ugly head, assuming that Castleford take advantage of it.

Round Three Super League disciplinary

Elsewhere, Salford’s Jayden Nikorima was handed a Grade C charge for his high tackle on Niall Evalds but because that tackle resulted in injury for Evalds, a further three penalty points are added.

That takes Nikorima’s total to eight penalty points meaning he also serves a one-match ban.

Leeds Rhinos’ Tom Holroyd will head to a disciplinary tribunal after a Grade E charge for Dangerous Contact was leveled against him after an incident that seemingly saw him twist George Hill’s arm.

Grade E charges begin at six-match suspensions meaning it could be bad news if Holroyd is found guilty of that offence.

Seven other players were charged.

Player	Club	Opposition	Charge	Grade	Penalty Points	Total Points in previous 12 months	Sanction if applicable
Tom Holroyd	Leeds Rhinos	Castleford Tigers	Dangerous Contact	E	Refer to Tribunal	N/A	Tribunal decision
Mikolai Oledzki	Leeds Rhinos	Castleford Tigers	Head Contact	A	1	1	Not applicable
Jeremiah Simbiken	Castleford Tigers	Leeds Rhinos	Dangerous Contact	C	5	7.5	1 match suspension
Jeremiah Simbiken	Castleford Tigers	Leeds Rhinos	Dangerous Contact	B	3	8	1 match suspension
Jayden Nikorima	Salford Red Devils	Hull KR	Head Contact	C	8	8	1 match suspension
Dean Hadley	Hull KR	Salford Red Devils	Dangerous Contact	B	3	3	Fine
Jared Warea Hargraves	Hull KR	Salford Red Devils	Other Contrary Behaviour	A	1	1	Not applicable
Jordan Dezaria	Catalans Dragons	Leigh Leopards	Late contact on passer	B	3	3	Fine
Alec Tuitavake	Leigh Leopards	Catalans Dragons	Dangerous Throw/Lift	B	3	3	Fine
Mike McMeeken	Wakefield Trinity	St Helens	Late contact on passer	A	1	1	Not applicable
Liam Byrne	Wigan Warriors	Warrington Wolves	Dangerous Contact	A	1	1	Not applicable