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Why five players avoided punishment despite late hits

Five players have been charged by the match review panel following Round Seven of Super League.

Four of the players are from the Wigan Warriors with only Willie Isa picking up a one match ban.

Brad O’Neill was charged twice but only picks up a £250 fine.

The only player banned is Willie Isa which exacerbates the injury woes at Wigan with Cade Cust, Liam Marshall and Jai Field all injured ahead of the derby with St Helens.

Matty English is the only non Wigan player charged. He avoided a fine and a ban.

All six of the charges this week are for dangerous contact offences.

Once more, as in previous weeks, they all carry different punishments.

Three are fined as Grade B offences whilst the fourth Grade B offence is the ban which has come the way of Willie Isa.

Meanwhile, Matty English was only charged with a Grade A.

Following the latest round of fixtures, the Match Review Panel have issued the following sanctions:

Kaide Ellis – Wigan Warriors – Dangerous Contact – B – £250 Fine
Matty English – Huddersfield Giants – Dangerous Contact – A – Not applicable
Willie Isa – Wigan Warriors – Dangerous Contact – B – 1 Match Penalty Notice
Brad O’Neill – Wigan Warriors – Dangerous Contact – A – Not applicable
Brad O’Neill – Wigan Warriors – Dangerous Contact – B – £250 Fine
Jake Wardle – Wigan Warriors – Dangerous Contact – B – £250 Fine

Of the six Dangerous Contact charges, four of them were for late hits.

However, a total of nine late hits were looked at by the panel with five going unpunished.

Looking at the disciplinary minutes, it is for the most part clear that if a proper tackle is effected rather than just contact made then you are likely to avoid a ban.

Here are the five players who avoided a ban and why:

Rhys Kennedy (Hull KR):

“Player gets to the opponent and pushes opponent to the ground. Minimal contact.”

Nathan Massey (Castleford Tigers):

Kallum Watkins (Salford Red Devils):

“Player is late but tackles opponent to the ground. Opponent engages opponent and braces for contact.”

Danny Addy (Salford Red Devils):

“Player is late but tackles opponent to the ground. Opponent is braced for the contact as opponent has run hard at the opponent.”

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