As clear cut a sending off as you will see.

I agree with the BBC commentary team, there was nothing malevolent about it, it was just simply brain poop. I've been there myself as a player, tripping a show pony stand-off after he had put the ball down for a try

I think that was best shown by the way Leeds players were almost commiserating as he walked off the pitch. He had to go, but I think sending-off sufficient should be Red Hall's decision.

Quite so. Saturday's offence wasn't a trip though.

Ok then, 'playing keepie-uppie with Rob Burrow' is a sending off offence, even if you only do one.

Lee Smith should've received a yellow for his blatant off the ball shoulder charge. Crusaders should've received a penalty at the very least. He could've very very easily pulled out of that challenge. Just no need.

A lot of talk of the sending off and quite right the much worse Bryant challenge. But nothing mentioned about the Richard Moore one on Senior, where Senior looked at Ganson and laughed saying "you gotta be kidding". I would like to see that challenge again, because at full speed with it looks a really bad intended challenge to the head on Senior.

While acknowledging your general perception of Smith (who I thought had a good game overall at full-back) I have to agree re the challenge on Kear (?) after his kick down the line. A minimum of a penalty to Crusaders went begging there and arguably it was deserving of a spell in the sin-bin. Ganson is just another poor referee, although I liked his 'don't worry about that, don't you think I've got enough .....' before issueing a warning on the run to Schifkofske about packing down correctly at the base of the scrum.

That said Ganson did notice Smith holding down as Leeds continue to concede a penalty a week while in possession.

Smith did exactly what he should have at that point in the game.

And Ganson to Sinfield after Smith kicked the ball away after a knock on "Which was my fault, apparently".

He never seems to notice when rat boy holds onto a player every time he's tackled does he,mind you none of the other refs spot it either.

Was it also Smith that turned a scrum into a penalty for booting the ball away? Again, no need. He's arrogant. That's my main problem. He acts as if he thinks the rules don't apply to him (he's not the only one before you all start!).

With the deliberate and constant holding down, blatant shoulder charge that luckily didn't result in us having to play with 12 and handing them the boost they needed, needlessly kicking the ball away resulting in a penalty, and letting the ball bounce on far to many occasions, he did have two moments of above-averageness.

In summary; two moments of above-averageness, several moments of below-averageness = another average Lee Smith performance.

The trouble with ganson is he loves himself and loves to be centre of attention.

On sending off at the game I straight away thought sending off,watching it back today wasn't too much in it, Bryant challenge was worse.

Slightly OT but Bryant reminds me a bit of the guy from "The goonies?" not a looker

Ganson viewed it as a 'trip' in the context of the rule book and that is an automatic Red Card offence, end of, and as such Ganson was right. That said, it was not particular malicious but it was stupid and late and he got what he deserved but that is all there is to it. Sending off sufficient should be the disciplinary decision.

Thought he did well. Yes Has a childish streak to his game that needs to be cut out but he isn't on his own

Nonsense. Smith is competitive and has a good record for discipline - last year 5 penalties in 18 appearances compared to say, Brent Webb with 14 penalties in 19 appearances. He kicked the ball away out of frustration because he dropped a potential scoring pass, not because he's arrogant. He took Kear out after he kicked quite rightly IMO. If Kear had scored then that would have made for a tense last couple of minutes, but at that time in the game it would have made no difference if Smith had been binned, the clock would have beaten Crusaders. As it was he got away with it, so it was an even better call from him.
Yes, he pulled a shirt trying to milk a penalty, which he shouldn have been awarded for the Crusaders player straddling him at the time (not the one Smith had hold of). Law clearly states players should clear the ruch to the side, straddling a grounded player as he tries to get up is a cast iron penalty in every game.
Some people don't like Lee Smith, and that's nothing to do with how he behaves on the pitch.

Smith is a premium Tansey with the ability to be a solid utility back.

His biggest strength is sniffing the unsniffable out. He always fairs well down dead-ends. You think he's boxed in and he'll make a turn or a half break. Or like he did against Crusaders put a neat little slide kick in.

He does display talent and screams natural ability.

But he looks a little dated compared to the far superior natural talent and pace of Watkins and BJB.

Pace is the key. Not only this but he always looks sluggish, as if his fitness isn't there.

Couple of points on various things raised in this thread.

When was the last time Lee Smith played full-back, prior to Saturday? He'll have spent all week preparing to play on the wing, in his first game back from a spell on the sidelines. I think he's entitled to be a little rusty. At least he managed to pass the ball legally on that "second man then face ball" play that Webb has been botching up the last couple of weeks.

I don't think Cahill intended for one minute to kick Burrow out of malice or frustration. He's a big guy moving at speed and by the time he'd sorted his feet out to hack the ball on he'd been beaten to it. If he gets a ban for that I'd be amazed, but credit to both him and Burrow for the reaction after Ganson made his decision. Cahill didn't have a strop about it, just accepted it, shook hands with Burrow and got off the field. I can think of plenty of players from all clubs who would have had the mother of all paddys had it gone against them.

Mr Gilder, I totally agree with both your points.
Delaney also commiserated with Cahill as he went off.

Imagine the Big ginge at Saints

While I'm on a roll then...

Mark Bryant's elbow/forearm.

Having not had the benefit of watching it back since the original broadcast, I might get corrected here. I'm not sure when I saw it full speed that he makes any movement towards the head of the defender with his arm.

It's a low carry and the arm is bent at right angles in towards his chest, but he didn't seem to "strike" with it as much as Smith got his head in Bryant's hip area and copped one for his pains.

I'd put it down as accidental, no need for a trip to Red Hall in the week but a reminder that as the ball carrier he has a responsibility to watch where his forearms/elbows are when he goes into contact.

How on earth could Ganson have viewed it as a trip when no contact was made with Burrow's legs?

Smith was the ball carrier, not Bryant.

The problem is, he made no attempt whatsover to tackle Smith or go for the ball, he was running at at a direction that there was no chance of missing Smith with his elbow, whether he meant it or not.

No excuse for Bryants elbow deliberate imo and the act of a sh#*house just like his team-mate Peek when he dropped on Delaney with the forearm after he'd scored at their place in the 1st game of the year last season.

He caught RB on the thigh,is that not part of the leg.

I think you're having a senior moment here, the Bryant incident took place from the Sammut kick-off following one of our tries.
As Smith took the ball he was flattened by Bryant. I have watched it again & don't consider that Bryant raised his elbow but he did hit Smith on the side of the face with his upper arm.
Penalty for headhigh contact correctly given by Ganson but NFA in my view.
There were a number of incidents during the game when players were flattened by legitimate shoulder charges but I do wonder if it isn't now time to ban such contact since it often leads to "accidental" contact with the head.
Such tackles have been banned in RU because they are considered to be dangerous & are penalised.
To tackle someone has to involve the use of the arms.
I love to see big hits as much as anyone but do cringe whenever I see them.