There’s been one major contentious point within rugby league since the 2022 season started.
And, that is the increasing crackdown on foul play, with the amount of yellow and red cards being distributed this campaign, more than ever seen before.
With claims that the crackdown is going too far, Super League clubs will be meeting with the Rugby Football League (RFL) on Wednesday to discuss the best way forward for the sport.
But, round six threw up perhaps one of the worst attempts of clamping down on foul play seen so far this season.
It included Mahe Fonua’s ‘late tackle’ on Wigan’s Jai Field in Castleford’s defeat to the Warriors on Thursday night.
The Tigers centre knocked the ball as Field passed with the duo colliding chests.
Unfortunately for Castleford – and rugby league – referee Chris Kendall saw this as foul play and subsequently sent Fonua for a ten-minute breather.
However, following the Disciplinary Match Review Panel’s examination of all six Super League games from the weekend, Fonua has not been banned.
This is because, according to the Panel’s minutes: “Player touches the ball in making contact with the opponent. Player is engaged by opponent and contact is immediate upon release of the ball.”
