4 matches is harsh but let's take it on the chin if the RFL are going to protect halfbacks / kickers.

My worry is consitency!

You see tackles and late hits like Tetevano's in nearly every game. Rarely punished. Sin bin has been considered extreme for similar offences.

So a line has been drawn and an example made. Fair enough. But it must be carried through in every game and the punishment must be the same for every similar offence.

I really hope this happens but I doubt it!!

4 games for a late shot, or 5 for squeezing another players knackers.

Ludicrous

Are you suggesting you want less of a ban for the groping? Or more of a ban for the late, high shoulder charges?

Must admit I wasn`t sure either what they were wanting.
I did say 2 matches but knowing our luck it would be 4 which I think is harsh,

It was late, their was no head contact like you’re trying to make out. I’d say more for groping, but we all know it’s a lottery with the RFL.

It was nice to see Walmsley back to bullying the younger forwards once Tetevano was sent off, as he was petrified of taking it up when he was on.

Are the club planning to appeal this?

They already have I believe and got turned down.

Probably not, its the new RFL party piece so they will crack down hard but expect it to tail off / be applied different later in the season.

FWIW I think in the cold light of day its warranted, weve seen years of late hits on ball players that were just waved off and nothing done so good to see an effort to curb this cynical side of the game, a fraction sooner and it wouldve been a spectacular and fair hit, but it wasnt.

If that had been Walmsley taking out Gale we'd have rightfully been spitting feathers too so I wont be hypocritical about it and hopefully there will be consistency throughout the league.

Walmsley doesn't bully anyone. Pretending to be a hard man has never been his game. He's just big and works hard and is remarkably consistent.

Good to see Leeds fans so bullish about their team though, better for the competition if you are strong and not in the state you've been for the last few seasons. The weekend's game was an interesting one, I think we were complacent and weren't expecting such a stern test. I also think you having so many forwards on the field helped you, certainly defensively. If anything, you adding your backs into the team would make it easier for us and a bigger gap would possibly have emerged. Us losing two forwards in the first 15 minutes didn't help either, meaning we effectively only had one sub.

No he wasn`t, his game didn`t change regardless of Tetevano been on the field but if it makes you feel better you can pretend in your own head that Walmsley was petrified lol.

Think 4 matches is very harsh imo, especially when he had received a red card in the first place.

If you compare to Andrew Fifitas late hit in the NSW Cup (Which got him 3 matches) his was a lot worse.

Have another watch of the game, you may well change your mind.

It's an academic discussion re Walmsley anyway. He's a prop forward, bullying is part of the job description. Our forwards job is not to be bullied, which they did pretty well. Look forward to the two teams meeting when at full strength. Think Saints stil have the edge but Leeds are now capable of springing a surprise. Another year and we may have the better side.

That shocker of a late hit a couple of weeks ago somehow got him nothing but 90 carry over points. The ban was for a crusher tackle the weekend just gone.

But yes, 4 matches for Tetevano is other the top.

Agree. 4 and a half matches including the red. The guy has a pretty exemplary disciplinary record. 2 match ban imo would have been spot on, 3 at worse.

I think the 4 game ban was harsh but if that's what they are going with then they will have to be consistent.
If it would have been a prop taking it to the line with a late pass and taking the hit I doubt the game would even get stopped, but if it did would probably just be a penalty.
I think the panel used the term excessive force but the same force on a big guy won't make much of a dent but do we still apply the rules the same, because we should.
My other concern is that if Fage dummies the ball and takes the same hit then it's a legal hit (I didn't think it was high) so we are giving 4 game bans for a hard tackle.
Are we going to get to a point as a sport where we say excessive force tackles are not allowed?

We are getting to that point already imo, there was a match of ours where Jacob Miller was penalised for been "too aggressive" in the tackle, as picked up on the refs mic, wasn`t high or anything against the rules of the game.

Cant remember who it was, but an import made a comment in the off season with regards to playmakers getting a lot more protection in the NRL than they do in SL, I tend to agree really re the late hits but again the word is "Consistency", we won`t get it from the dis panel, we never have IMO.

I don't think Walmsley bullies players, however, I did feel he was rattled in the 1st half from the intensity of Oledzki, Leeming, Prior and Tetevano flying out of the blocks to hit him. I felt like he made a few mistakes as a result. He is a top drawer player though and likely just had a poor 1st half.

Yeah good post, I really like Walmsley as a prop and was gutted when we missed out and he ended up at saints.

Some people like a good ball squeeze I know a young lady who earns £200 per hour kicking blokes in the balls. She tells me it’s the up coming enjoyment called BDSM.
Hence 5 games does sound excessive. Maybe two hours with Mandy from Castleford would be more enjoyable and more of a punishment.

I`ll be honest here, I was giving Shabino some stick the other week with regards to the Oledski/Walmsey debate but I didn`t actually realise how much Oledzki had developed.

To be playing at that level, with that confidence in that position is almost unheard of at such a young age or its certainly something that I have rarely seen in a prop, the last one was probably Sam Burges. In my mind, a front rowers "peak" is a little later than the average throughout the other positions, I reckon 30 is around the age where you see the best of them so it certainly looks as though he has a good career ahead of him.

Do you guys think he has much improvement left in him?

mik still improving , after watching the 82 invincibles i often expect more of 20 yr olds but that team was freakish and ahead of it's time , mik was late to the game and was awesome last night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1SRnchbgV4 average of gb 28 with crooks playing at 19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1SRnchbgV4 average of gb 28 with crooks playing at 19

When/if we get another equally good prop to partner him, it'll take some pressure off. We've massively over-used him over the past season and now this so far.

Scarily enough, Tom Holroyd could be even better than Mik if he develops. Two fantastic front-row prospects. Tom has the natural aggression which Mik is trying to develop I think. Also better hands. And he's still huge and mobile. Nowhere near as durable though... so far.

Ha ha. We all have opinions and it's fun to debate.
Think we all agree Mik Is fantastic and only going to get better.......
That's scarey for other teams.