I have no issues with a ban for either. I thought Lockers was lucky also but a Hull fan coming on claiming both should conveniently get two game bans (no more, no less) is a right laugh!

I mean he could have actually put some thought in to it and said one deserves three!

Haha fair enough.

On topic, 1 match should be the standard ban for a harmless grab of the official, Tautai should get at least two matches.

Different people see things in different ways. IMO touching a match official is a total no go (even if they're as poor as Hicks was on Friday) and he deserves what he gets for not keeping his emotions in check. It's a slippery slope when they start saying 'it's a harmless grab' and very difficult to differentiate between it is and isn't harmless or with aggression.

As for Tautai I have some sympathy for players in these cases. He's tackling around the legs at the end of the day. If the player is being held upright I suppose it depends on if he's still looking to move forward or if he's looking to keep the ball alive as to how it's judged. I see tackles like that a few times a week in games which Sky aren't covering and little ever gets said. If a debate kicks up about one they then seem to be fighting a losing battle.

It'll be interesting to see the findings in both cases.

They get what they get. That's it.

I expect both to get two game bans, probably deserved if I'm honest.

Team for the Semi

Sam
Manfredi
Gelling
Sarginson
Gildhart
Williams
Smith
Flower
Powell
Sutton
Isa
Bateman
O'loughlin

Mossop
Nauuasala
Crosby/Breatherton
Sharrocks

I recall Ryan Bailey getting a 3 match ban for shoving Silverwood out of the way as he was in the defenders way www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... e-way.html

I recall Ryan Bailey getting a 3 match ban for shoving Silverwood out of the way as he was in the defenders way www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... e-way.html

Mac pointed out in his press conference that if he breaks Cuthbertsons leg he is banned 8-10 games (I believe that is what Chase got for a similar incident)
Total inconsistency again from the review pannel, blatant cannon ball tackles should all be treated the same

Also shows how ridiculous the governing of RL has gotten, we ban shoulder charges because of player welfare on the off chance someone gets hit in the head (instead of just penalising heavily whenever contact with the head is made), touching the ref is a 3 game ban, yet a potential season ending tackle will be a one game ban
IMO Charnly should get a one game ban and a slap on the wrist and Tautai should be out for at least 4 games

Also the review panel should always be made of the same people each week, other wise it is prone to the inconsistencies we have seen

these cannonball tackles need banning immediately as someone is going to get a career ending injury before too long
We are one of the worst offenders of these tackles but it could be Sam that ends up copping for a bad one and he could be finished

Never been a fan of this tackle. Wasn't it Maguire who brought this tactic in? We do use it a lot, sometimes it goes wrong, most famously Jeff Lima few years ago again at Headingley.

By all means third man comes in to wrap the legs and make the player fall to the floor but to aim at the knees when a player is at a standstill is dangerous.

Our worst culprit for this is Sam Powell he makes me cringe every time he goes in to tackle. Ban it completely it is not an acceptable tackle and should be wiped out of the game

I've never been a fan of any illegal tackle. It's not the third man in that's the problem it's how that player enters the tackle. If the ref hasn't called held then any defender is entitled to join in the tackle. For us it is a means of slowing the play the ball down. They aim to increase the length of time between initial contact and they player hitting the deck at the same time if possible turn he player so he is on his back and facing the wrong way which will then take longer for the player to get up.

My main point is it's all about how the so called third man in enters the tackle. It simply can't be around the knee area, if a player gets it wrong and makes contact around the knees they he should recieve a lengthy ban. The defender can also achieve the objective of slowing the play the ball down without going in with too much force. There's nothing wrong with the third man in as long as it's done correctly, Tautai didn't do it correctly therefore he is up for a suspension.

I'd like to see the refs calling held earlier, if the attacker has won the wrestle and avoided being put on the floor he deserves a quick play the ball. The refs, particularly with clubs like Leeds who are known for their offloads don't call held quick enough IMO. Call held sooner, the third man can't get in, problem solved

I agree good post