Over a dozen players were shown yellow or red cards during Round 21 of Super League and with Magic Weekend on the horizon, several sides will be sweating today’s disciplinary verdict.
The Match Review Panel will meet to determine the fate of those players and any others who committed misdemeanours that went unpunished across Super League, during what was a busy round.
It kicked off on Thursday night when St Helens edged Salford Red Devils 17-16 in golden point in a game that saw four yellow cards, including three in just two plays.
Catalans then nicked a drop goal win as they beat Huddersfield 23-22 on the same night that Hull KR went top after beating Castleford Tigers 36-6.
Wigan Warriors had their chance to reclaim top spot on Saturday but ill-discipline and fatigue cost them against a brilliant Leeds Rhinos who ran out 30-4 winners to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Sunday saw Warrington get back to winning ways with a 34-22 win over London whilst Leigh ran in six second-half tries to defeat Hull FC 42-12.
Across the six Super League games, a total of 12 yellow cards and one red card were shown with nine different sides losing a man at some point, meaning nine different sides will be sweating today’s disciplinary verdict.
Round 21 Super League Disciplinary Round-Up
Credit: Imago Images
Thursday night saw Chris Kendall flash the yellow card four times but questions were asked by fans whether Morgan Knowles should have seen red for his high tackle on Joe Mellor that saw him make head contact.
There was mitigation with Mellor losing height but the force in the tackle was reason enough for a sin bin. Just seconds after that incident, Joe Batchelor hit a man off the ball which led to a melee triggered by Ollie Partington. Both men sat down for ten minutes. Joe Shorrocks had earlier committed a professional foul.
Friday night saw Catalans’ forward Julian Bousquet sent for ten for a high tackle, whilst at Craven Park Sauaso Sue showed dissent to Liam Rush to earn his yellow. Nixon Putt had earlier been shown a yellow for a tip tackle.
The clash between Wigan and Leeds is where the major disciplinary concerns come with Adam Keighran copping a yellow for an accumulation of offences, but it was Harry Smith’s red card that got fans talking. He looks certain to miss the next game at Magic Weekend for his swinging arm to the head but how much more of the Super League season he misses is the question.
Leigh Leopards saw two men sent for ten with Owen Trout guilty of head contact after Darnell McInotsh’s tip tackle. Will Gardiner was another who went for an accumulation of offences, whilst Rhys Kennedy went for ten after a high tackle against Warrington.
Round 21 Super League Sin Bins and Red Cards
Morgan Knowles (Sin Bin) – Head Contact
Joe Batchelor (Sin Bin) – Off the ball contact
Ollie Partington (Sin Bin) – Melee
Joe Shorrocks (Sin Bin) – Professional Foul
Julian Bousquet (Sin Bin) – High Tackle
Sauaso Sue (Sin Bin) – Dissent
Nixon Putt (Sin Bin) – Tip Tackle
Adam Keighran (Sin Bin) – Accumulation of High Tackles
Harry Smith (Red Card) – Swinging arm to the head
Will Gardiner (Sin Bin) – Accumulation of fouls
Darnell McIntosh (Sin Bin) – Tip Tackle
Owen Trout (Sin Bin) – Head Contact
Rhys Kennedy (Sin Bin) – High Tackle
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