Cameron Smiths handling could be key for that reason.

True, just shave from TV and marketing perspective. But yeah we are stronger up front. Game could hinge in what sort of mood Williams is in…… think best half in either squad…

Yes, let's just ignore the game's operational rules in favour of making it more exciting or interesting.

That's a wormhole Formula One is struggling to get out of having serious damage to its credibility as a sporting contest - we absolutely don't want that sort of idiocy in Rugby League.

I think you want to watch 18 stone blokes play touch rugby sometimes…….!

It's not the application of the rules that should change, but the rules themselves. The sport has its knickers in such a twist about litigation for head injury that I think it has gone too far in some areas.

Some of the bans for what I think are innocuous incidents are silly. We need to see players on the field and it is a contact sport.

I also don't believe that bans should be based on games - a points system would be better, where it recognises the difference in say, a play-off or final versus a regular league game or a friendly. I don't like the current process but hey what do I know.

They Sounds very sensible……so a non starter……

I understand the frustration with the new approach but a late tackle especially high around shoulders/neck or head are dangerous and are not part of the game. I have seen tacked on David Ward and Hanley in the past that have resulted in players being out for months so those tackles should be outlawed. I have no objection to bans but they have to be consistent and in the past they have been severe for a few weeks and then eased off and that in my opinion is the problem.
I don’t want the physicality removed from our sport just the cowardly stuff on star players.

Sounds possibly the worst idea ever...actually no its brilliant. Tetevano go and knock Williams head off youve currently no points, its a league game and you cant get banned. Next week Bentley can you do same and week after Mik its your turn.

Cup game this week lads its a double point round so squeaky clean this week lads.

I can only imagine everyone would be delighted on here if Sezer gets his cheekbone broken by someone who hasnt accumlated enough points to get a ban.

Deary deary me.

Think some are confusing cheap shots with minor infringements where no one gets hurt.
Can’t we just start letting refs actually ref and manage the sport with yellows/reds that carry a mandatory ban?

1 Myler
2 Fusitu’a
3 Newman
4 Sutcliffe
5 Handley
6 Leeming
7 Sezer
8 Oledzki
9 Dwyer
10 Prior
11 Bentley
12 Martin
13 Tetevano

14 Mellor
15 Smith
16 Thompson
17 Walker

18 Donaldson 19 Briscoe 20 Broadbent 21 Gannon

I have not looked forward to the opening games of a season so much for a long time. I think its great that we have three of the big teams up first as it will demonstrate how competitive we are going to be. We need to win at least one game but hopefully will be competitive in all three

Obviously if you break someone's face Marty, that would be a sufficient points penalty to result in a ban.

Not a bad shout that though I'd swap Tet and Smith and Briscoe and sutcliffe. See if Dwyers asked to do 80 with Leeming jumping in where he can.

Said it before RE bans but if some of the stuff that bans are being handed out were given reds on game day there would be uproar! And more than likely fewer bans as well for obvious reasons.

Looking forward to Saturday but got this awful feeling Powell will have them fired up and could well see them throw everything at us early on to get a couple of scores ahead. I think I'm mentally scared from seeing Cas tear us apart on the edges so often in recent times!!

RE Austin, apparently all the promo material was all done around him playing his old club then the news of the ban dropped. Seems we always find a way to shoot ourselves in the foot even in new markets!!

Thankfully, my memories of Cas not being able to do it when it actually mattered are much stronger



Think both sides should be fired up, we owe them one for them winning winning last year with a try that never was!

This is a really good match up for Round 1. You could say Austin has been dumb getting himself banned from a friendly. I still think the rules as they stand are a bit daft. C4 premiere and one of the better players unavailable through a something-and-nothing incident in a friendly 2 weeks ago.

But i know, you know, we all know if you hit a half back off the ball you run the risk of a ban. Austin hit Gale off the ball, admittedly soft but why run the risk?

It isnt the game hurting itself, its not a conspiracy, its not anti-Leeds its purely dumb play by Austin. We have to start learning.

I agree the defensive player has responsibility here. I agree there is no anti-Leeds conspiracy. Don't agree the game isn't hurting itself, because the punishments too often don't fit the crime.

Like everything it's a balance isn't it? Players have responsibility but so do the rule makers. I can't be convinced that Austin missing the first SL fixture 2 weeks after a fairly innocuous incident in a friendly game is the right call. It is what it is though and we move on.

Jim i think we all agree its a ridiculous thing to get banned for but unfortunately we all know you cant do it anymore. We dont seem to be learning and if we dont start learning quickly we are going to have multiple bans again like last year.

We are hurting ourselves.

Agreed. It's a shame he's missing, but he made a silly choice in the heat of the moment. Hopefully next time he won't. Let's face it, if the RFL were really out to get Leeds they would have found a way to stitch Fusitu'a up.

Yeah, maybe a bit soft but we're straight into inconsistency territory once the panel enters the minefield of whether or not a challenge was soft. Bottom line has to be "was it late?".

Exactly. The rfl/SL just need to make sure this is done consistently though. When I saw it immediately knew he would cop a ban. Maybe given 1 game instead of 2 due to the missed game last week. Purley stupid from austin

I wonder if he did it knowing it would be a ban? Perhaps he didn’t fancy Warrington as his first competitive game?

I don’t actually believe this, just throwing it out there?

I'll be keeping an eye out for any late shots now and expecting an automatic one match ban. I suspect there is a late shot in pretty much most matches.

If it is deemed worthy of a ban, shouldn't he ( and any other culprits of a late tackle, however innocuous) have been sent off instead of sin binned?