Two games in and there seems to be a worrying trend forming of the head tackle going unpunished other than a penalty award. If this continues the head tackle is going to become more common and someone is going to get seriously hurt.
The start of a new season usually signals keen refs laying down the law and setting a tone for the season but it appears this season is different and anything goes.

The refs have set an unfortunate precedent, if Bowen had been sent off last week and soliola this week then the players would learn their lesson quickly

As a Saints fan, I agree.

Too soft.

But with the disciplinary backing up the soft touch, it's going to be open season on bell ringers.

What got me was the line 'It depends on his view of it'. They then show the view from the head-cam and lo and behold he couldn't have a better view if he tried.
Bottled it pure and simple.

We have the technology now, lets use it. Many of those tonight weren't that bad but Soliola's was as bad as Bowen's. Unless someone gets really hurt it seems as though nothing will be done.

I don't think we can equate head cam to the ref seeing it. Although for me it sounded like he did on this occasion. But it won't always be the case.

The refs eyes move, the camera does not.

You've got to judge intent with high shots I think. No way did Soliola intend to do damage and it clearly flicked up onto the chin. What do you do though? Do you send players straight off at the first hint of a high shot?

If so, would people really have sent 4 Saints players off and 1 Warrington player tonight? Wilkin's was a good example, it looked a proper old school clothesline from the Ultimate Warrior. In reality he grabbed the shirt and it probably wasn't even a penalty.

But we can use common sense and he should have been looking at the ball carrier and if he wasn't then you have to ask why he wasn't.
I know in this case it became clear he did which made his lack of action even more strange.

I think that at the end of this round, the referees need to send a message out to all the coaches......there was an allowance for "ring rustiness" this week, but that's it....any more and players will get their marching orders.

Even if it means a couple get time off the park when it's undeserved and maybe even if it spoils a game or two, eventually, the message will be understood and instances will fall (as will the height of tackles).

Left unchecked, it will end in tears....

I didn't actually think Soliola's was a sending off, it was a pretty poor tackle but it wasn't dirty, he just went to put a shoulder in and strayed up a bit. Maybe a yellow and a reminder about his technique.

Bowen's on the other hand was off the ball, a straight arm and he was off the ground, a red card and 2 game ban any day of the week.

RL Referees on twitter this week replied to a question of why Bowen wasn't at least given 10min. The reply was that the sin bin isn't available for high tackles. The options are Penalty sufficient, On-Report or Straight Red.

I was quite surprised last night when Bentham chose the option of penalty sufficient given the blood on Monaghans face.

I'm not sure that either the Soliola or Wilkin incidents even got put on report.

I wonder what action would have been taken if Gareth Hock had been the offender?

Also last season on TV the same ref rightly sent off the Widnes player against Warrington for the head tackle on Hodgson - despite the fact that the full back was falling as the tackle occurred! His decision was reinforced by the touch judge who quoted " direct contact with the head" and supported the sending off.
Funnily enough, I cant remember the two teams, but the very next week on TV the same touch judge was reffing a game and "direct contact with the head" occurred again but did not result in a sending off.

I suppose the situation could be decided by the RL on video evidence but that has already failed in the Bowen case!

I know they can not do it for all matches but why can they not use the video at TV games and the ref says can I see that please if in the case he said he did not see it and then make a decision