Lol.

Knowles will get a ban, the rest is nonsense.

Lol

Wellsby's was a reckless tackle that could have caused serious damage. He had zero control over the impact, which could have easily been a bad headclash or a more significant shoulder to the head.

I'll probably get shot for saying this but Knowles' was nothing like as bad as a chicken wing. I don't think there was any intent to injure the opponent, just an (illegal) attempt to slow the PTB. Penalty and maybe a sinbin with a warning about technique, but nothing more.

Whether either get banned depends on whether the MRP tries to be consistent with its approach from most of this year, which would see both get banned, or whether they have 'grand final glasses' on, in which case neither will. Maybe a 'grand final monocle' and one of them gets a ban?

Not Leeds related, but the more you watch the Lafai penalty try claim, the more shocking it becomes. If that’s not a semi final, it’s given every day of the week.

No shooting down by me on the Knowles one. Pulled the arm behind the player's back but not in a way that put any real stress on any joint. Could still be deemed reckless I suppose. Wellsby's looked the worst of the two though I haven't gone into forensic scrutiny of footage on my phone.

Tbh, after banging on about soft bans all season I'm not comfortable with hoping the panel bans yet more players. If we're good enough, we'll beat saints regardless of who they have on the park. If not, so be it.

I think that Knowles was just trying to slow the play the ball down but did get his arm in a compromising position.
The Welsby one is a tough one because it was almost a perfect tackle but contact has definitely been made with the head of the Salford player. If you go in that hard and that fast you always run the risk and need to get it perfect.
I haven't slowed it down and watched it frame by frame but the blood on the Salford players face is evidence enough and it doesn't matter whether the contact is shoulder, clash of heads or anything else, Welsby instigated the contact so by the rules we've seen this year it should be a 2 match ban but I have no doubt he'll be cleared to play.

He pulled his arm up his back in an unnatural position, there’s no excuse for that. Will he cop a ban, absolutely not, as we all know how it works this year.

I'd agree with that but now is not the time to be changing the rules on what gets a ban, if they do then they look even more stupid than they have all year (if that were possible). Look at Martins 2 recent bans, it'd be pretty ridiculous if saints escape without any.

Sezer and Gannon definitely out with concussion

Personally I think the Welsby one was a bad one, looked clear direct shoulder to head and he should probably have seen red in the game. If they don't ban him then they may as well come out and say they don't care about player welfare. 6 inches down and it would have been an awesome hit, but it wasn't.

Knowles has to serve at least a couple of games for that, it's the sort of hold the police put you in to restrain you and he knew exactly what he was doing.

Think Sezer was pretty inevitable from the moment he went down. Massively impressed with Rohan on Gannon. Sounds like technically he could play, but they are not willing to risk his health. Sounds very much like Martin is the only returnee. So be it.

It would be shocking for if knowles and welbsly are allowed to play, especially Welbsly given we have a player out due to concussion protocol after foul play, direct hit to the head. But the MRP and RFL don’t follow their own rules.

I suspect Knowles will be ok, because they are mainly concerned about concussions at the minute.

In any case, let them both play. Lets have both teams as close to full strength as possible, and battle it out for top spot. I think Rohan is putting huge emphasis that it doesn’t matter who is not playing or what the other team are doing, only what we can control.

Let saints bring it on with a full contingent and let the best team win!

Don't agree with - it was a great tackle - if we are banning players for tackles like that they game is ruined as a spectacle

It was a great tackle apart from the fact that he clocked him in the face with his shoulder. If he was six inches lower you'd be right, but you can't ban all headshots "apart from the ones that look great"

This is a game - Leeds should go into with confidence. Saints are beatable it needs a strong ref who will keep an eye on the offside at the PTB - Saints are too quick off the mark.

As Salford showed Saints right side is vulnerable. If Knowles plays then something is seriously wrong with the MRP.

I dont agree he has simply flatten him head on - no sure what he supposed to do? Props just run over smaller guys no problem they drive in with their shoulder straight at an opponents head - that's OK?

If Saints are off the line a bit quick, then chip over them. We have a coach now who would encourage that kind of play I think, and do it once or twice and they will either take a defender form the line (leaving more from) to sweep behind or give us a second more to get forwards.

We need to play our game on Saturday, not be forced into the one they want to play.

For me that's shoulder to head contact either first or simultaneously, clear foul play. It's no different to a swinging arm - most high shots are unintended, but that's really neither here nor there is it? What he's supposed to do is go lower, get the shoulder anywhere but into his head. It's not like it's a new rule.

As for the props carrying the ball argument, I don't know, but it's a completely separate issue.

Sorry the picture you grabbed shows shoulder on shoulder contact?

Im not sure if you need some new glasses, but you see that red bit, you know the top of the ‘V’ which is his shoulder, is right in the Face of Atkins, not his shoulder

Welsby’s left shoulder makes direct contact with Atkin’s head leaving him with a bloody mouth and nose. Welsby should be banned for that but won’t be and will play on Saturday.

Atkins head is the other side of Welsbys head. So the only contact that could have happened would be with Welsbys right shoulder (which given the direction Welsby tackled from would be the right shoulder for him to lead with). So two possibilities;

His right shoulder is lower than his left, leading to shoulder on shoulder contact, his arm tucks under Atkins arm and drives him back (which the behind angle shows)

His right shoulder is higher than his left, and it’s a classic clothes line tackle which would have rotated Atkins with pressure on the neck, rather than sending him backwards (which is what anyone claiming head contact must assume happened?)

So why his his left shoulder in the face of Atkin?

Look i don’t particularly want him to be be banned but there has been bans for far less this season

It was a rubbish tackle with no control. He hit him in the face, hence the blood. It could have been far better (if the guy hadn't been falling a bit it would have been fine) or a hell of a lot worse. The problem was Wellsby had zero control of the impact. I wouldn't be surprised if he escapes a ban with the GF coming up, but if the MRP is consistent with what they've done all year he'll be banned.