I know his fist was clenched but I think contact with the head was accidental (not saying that should mean no sending off). He's a good, fair, hard player, not a dirty player imo.

Correct.

Look upon the ref as a copper, he's there simply to nick people. It's then up to the courts to decide the level of punishment

If refs sent off every player who carelessley or recklessley made contact with an opponents head, we'd be playing 7 a side most weeks

When I started watching RL in the 80s there [iseemed[/i to be more sendings off than there are now. (I don't have any statistical evidence for this, its just my recollection).

Then when they introduced the sin bin the number of sendings off seemed to decrease.

Now we don't even get many sin binnings and when we do its for offences such as persistent offside.

The "on report" system and the MRP are just a cop out for the refs.

If posters think back Sam Moa Wasn't going to be sent off .Only when somebody (video Ref ) had a word in the ref's ear then he was sent off .Even Steve o AND Eddie were surprised he got a red card The Rovers player when in with a swinging arm and a clenched fist

1 match ban, disgrace.

How long did Moa get?

1 match (iirc), and he should have got no case to anwer.

Dont think Mika should have been banned (or Moa) IMO.

disgraceful, thats not a punishment its a rest period

How about this idea, mika is banned the next time we play the dobbins? That to me is a way to make the punishment more apt.

If he's gotten a one-match ban then I can't complain at that decision as it's the same what Moa was given for a similar offence. However, I still believe that he should have been sent off because both Moa and Puletua were sent off. Either none of them were worthy of being sent off or all of them are.

Mika, Moa & Puletua - all 1 match bans for reckless head high shots. Consistent judiciary? Seems so, no room to complain there.

Two sent off, one on report. Inconsistent refereeing? Definately, one of the biggest problems in our sport.

Exactly.


Refereeing is something that is holding our sport back at the moment. The actual game on the field is good - that's why we all love it - but it seems like the standard of refereeing is having a large impact on the game. I don't know when the last time I went to a match and didn't have a problem with the referee. (I don't expect them to be superhuman, I just want consistency and to be able to actually understand some of their decisions).

The 18th man scenario is under consideration here after a couple of high profile incidents in the NRL. Also under consideration is the banning of the shoulder charge tackle again after serious incidents plus a medical recommendation to reduce blows to the head. The general consensus among players is that it should remain in the game and the Players Union here will be involved in any discussions on the matter.

One player who wants the shoulder charge banned is Willie Mason who commenting on the recent Greg Inglis shoulder charge said that "any parent seeing the Inglis tackle would think that it was a game for thugs and would want their son to find another game to play".

The 'new' clamp down their having with contact on the head is workng but refs now have to take action on the field and start producing cards.

Sam Burgess has said he won't go for 50/50's any more.

The main problem with the Inglis tackle is that it wasn't, in any stretch of the imagination, a shoulder charge.

The more i look at this shot by MIKA i notice that he has a strapping around his fist. I remember when the BRADFORD scrum half PAUL DEACON playing for GB had his face altered with the strapped forearm of a NEWZEALAND PLAYER. It makes you think.

That was one of the dirtiest shiithouse swinging arms i ever saw, didnt it fracture the roof of his mouth it was that hard a hit.... can see the dude face but cant remember his name , happened at KC didnt it
he should have faced a LONNNNNNNNGGGGG ban for that

Dont have issues with strapping to keep thumb in place but across the knuckles????
why dont they wear a pair of Northern ireland gloves full of led shot again and be done with it

Think it was Nigel Vagana.

My lad always plays with 2 fingers & knuckles strapped and he always will due to major surgery he had last year after shattering several bones whilst playing, some of his bones are held together with wires so he needs strapping for added protection.

Same, broken three fingers in my illustrious career.

Infact, probably 50% of my team go out with some kind of strapping on their hands/fingers having broken a bone at some point.

Only a bit of tape, maybe some bandage underneath as a small layer of padding. Complete overreaction from oodooroo as usual. He needs to chill out, get himself a calippo.

Still only one letter away from being a c**t

was a bit slow on the uptake then......thought you meant me at first