Quote: Rogues Gallery "Effectively though Smith was sent off for the remainder of the game and It'll get looked at by the review panel.
I don't like having a go at referees but Childs was hopeless last night.
I can go either way with the sending off, I don't THINK it was deliberate but he did hit Charnley around the head with I think a clenched fist. As I always say let the review committee decide. But the real poor decisions were Gelling tackling the Widnes player in the air no penalty given. The penalty given for pushing the Widnes player over the touchline when a) he's already in touch and b) Joel Tomkins is committed to the tackle, there was no second effort. Then O'Carroll runs 20 yards to attack a Wigan player and the referee doesn't caution him but speaks to Joe Mellor and gives Wigan the penalty. There are probably others I'll notice when I watch the game again but those three were from memory at the game.'"
RG I agree under the laws of the game contact to the head should be Red card, however I think I'm right in thinking it says deliberate contact and as a few of the sky team pointed out last night that was not deliberate. Poor technique yes but not deliberate, yellow card and on report for me. But if it is contact to the head = red card how come when Logan Tomkins I think hit Mellor around the head in the 2nd half it was not a red nor a yellow? The way he swung his arm he was always going to hit the back of Mellors neck and then ride up onto his head, if Mellor was facing that swinging arm it would have hit him right across his throat and gone up into his face and the Sky team and everyone would have being going ballistic but apparently just because he had his back to it and it hit the back of his neck first it is deemed OK pen to Widnes? I bet if Ah Van's tackle is slowed right down his arm hits Charnley's shoulder a micro second before the hand or forearm hits his chin will that be taken into account as you read every week at the disciplinary 'hit shoulder, or arm or back before contact with head is made, sending off sufficient or 1 game etc.'.
Smiths kick out was deliberate and Tomkins running around looking for someone to hit was a joke, Smith should have been straight red and Tomkins possible red but defo a yellow but nothing. TJ then tells ref Smith has been berating him behind the sticks so he bins him for a bit of lip not assault?
But like you say there were more incidents that were so obvious that just was not picked up by the ref and his team it shocking. Sean O on the first tackle had the Widnes player around the throat and it was just ignored second half the ref defo did his best to even up the penalty count IMO some right some wrong. Unfortunately this is just something all teams will have to put up with as some of the refs have no idea what they are doing.
I will be amazed if Smith gets anything for the deliberate kick on Hanbury, provoked or not that is way out of line and like someone says if he did it earlier in the game then he should be punished even if just 1 match. I expect them to come out with picture doesn't really show enough to make a decision no case to answer, Tomkins will not even be cited. But Mellor probably will be even though it was O'Carroll who pushed (nothing in it) SO.
Great game for viewers to get the season underway, another easy one next week up at Headingly.
