What worries and annoys me is that the governing body is prepared to stick a middle finger up to all R.L fans and basically say, “we’re gonna cheat, what you gonna do about it ?”
I nearly walked away from the game after the Grand Final of 2022 because of the Morgan Knowles/John Bateman/Rhyse Martin farce. I only just renewed my season ticket on the last day of early bird this season because I find the RFL so loathsome.
Supporters follow the game for pleasure, to get away from the stresses of modern life. They don’t follow it to get angry and upset about the sports governing body being corrupt and immoral.
The RFL drew a line in the sand in October 2022 when they used a loophole in the system to circumvent their own disciplinary procedure, allowing John Bateman to get off basically scot free when he knocked Aidan Sezer out with a dangerous head shot.
Let’s not forget, it robbed us of a main playmaker for the biggest game in Rugby League, The Grand Final. If the R.F.L were prepared to commit such an unethical, immoral act in plain sight, they were damn sure to do it again whenever it suits them.
The only difference between the Bateman situation and the Current Harry Smith shenanigans is that one was immoral/corrupt and one is plain cheating/corrupt.

Agree. Players from all teams are at it. While ever there's a glimmer that the referee might actually give something, though, it'll continue. Agree with previous comments that a penalty against would bring it to a halt almost immediately.

it didn't when ganson penalised Rob burrow for it way back when.
then ignored it for the rest of the game...

Consistency during a game from the same ref is certainly an issue, never mind between different referees.

The head contact rule is so inconsistently reffed it drives me crazy.

I now genuinely don't know what constitutes a penalty, never mind yellow/red.