One was a terrible, unfortunate unavoidable accident.
One was late, high, and a banned technique.

Yup completely comparable. If Saints had done as hkr did, Smiths comments would of been totally justified ... But they didn't.

Good on him. Incompetence of the highest order at the RFL over this one. It was a vile challenge. It was late, high and with the point of the shoulder aimed and impacting with the face. What makes it worthy of a 6+ match ban for me is the intent. Hull KR fans will tell you how hated Burns was at KR after he left them and this was a challenge in the first moments of the game, where Burns and Green hadn't had previous in the game. It was totally premeditated.

The RFL look foolish now. They will come out and fine McManus, but they must surely be able to see how daft the decision was.

Whilst I agree entirely with the statement from McManus, this is almost guaranteed to come back and haunt us. The next even borderline challenge by a Saints player will see a red and an entirely exaggerated response from the disciplinary committee just to prove a point.

Wow never heard so much dross from a bunch of fans than these billy big time Hull KR fans. Deluded springs to mind. Always knew there was good reason I wanted there superior neighbours to always smash them.

We've said it before, going back as far as the injury to Longy from the late charge down at huddersfield, it won't take much for a slight rule change that would completely change the mindset of some players.

If a player suffers an injury as a direct result of foul play, the RFL then have the capacity to suspend the offender for the duration not exceeding the length of time the injured player is out of the game.

Job done.

It would prevent the head hunters and late challenges on half backs.

We don't need that rule, we just need the rules we have to be applied consistently and competently. It's quite simple.

How does the aussie points system work ? Would that not be a better option than the random bans we seem to dish out?

Shouldn't Mr McManus ask questions of the Saints medical staff as to why a player was allowed to play for 78 minutes with a triple fracture of the cheek? I don't think the hand off to Burns by Dixon when he scored his try will have helped the injury.

Maybe they'd left their portable x-ray machine back at Langtree Park by mistake.

You'll be disappointed more often than happy then.

I suppose that is a possibility. I do know from experience that a Doctor can diagnose a facial fracture pretty accurately without the aid of an X-ray machine.

But he can only go off what Burns tells him, if he constantly played down pain levels, and didn't react to various pokes and prods, it's incredibly difficult

Bottom line for me is that it was an obvious head shot so Burns should have been taken off the field and examined properly in the quiet of the dressing room. With a blow to the head if he gets back on within 15 minutes then it doesn't count in the interchange score. That's why this new rule was brought in and doctors should be strong enough to enforce it. A quick prod and poke whilst the game continues is just not good enough.