I'm not sure why people are shocked?

It's pretty obvious that they are circling the waggons. Instead of apologising and saying he got it completely wrong (don't forget the VR thought it was a yellow), they are doubling down.

This, like I've been saying for weeks, is the biggest issue facing RL. Not concussions, not grading points, not player drain to the NRL - it's the refs, MRP & general RFL all protecting their own. It was wrong when we benefited from it with Watts. It was wrong when Bell missed last week and now it's wrong for Byrne.

I wonder what defence the ref sh@ggers will come up with for this one.

He also wraps his arms and doesn't lead with the shoulder. The grade E is basically for being too upright in the tackle. If that's enough reason for a grade E then Lees on Thompson should be a grade E too (it shouldn't of course but you get my point). The situation is becoming farcical.

I’ve seen this narrative that the video ref said it was a yellow and that there was mitigation all over the shop but there’s no actual evidence this is the case lol. It comes from the commentator saying it, but if you listen to what he was saying he doesn’t actually have a clue. His wording was something like “I heard the video ref say something about mitigation so I think he’s going to get 10 minutes” which, if he wasn’t listening properly then he shouldn’t be saying that at all. It’s highly possible he heard the video ref say “there’s no mitigation” as he clearly only caught the one word lol

I agree it was a legitimate attempt to tackle yeah. He gets it wrong due to Percival dipping and the red is fair enough under current rules because the onus of safety is on the defender even though I don’t agree with the current rules anyway. Giving him a huge ban for essentially failing to dip in time is ridiculous though. It’s one game max

I don’t see the point in banning someone for an accidental head clash. Deterrent for hitting someone with your own head and risking a concussion to yourself? Obviously nobody is doing that on purpose. It makes no sense

I sat thinking about it this morning and my thought were ‘he’ll get 2 games and worse case maybe 3’ and in my mind I’m comparing it to Percival against Salford and thinking it’s similar and if anything he at least attempts to wrap the arms and then I fall off my chair with Grade E.

Paul Wellens said Good Friday is as close to Origin as we’ll see here but we can’t have those high intensity games in this country at the minute, well you can but you’ll have multiple players sat down after them.

The bottom is absolutely right, and the disciplinary system needs to be moved to the top of the priority list for IMG to sort out. They’re going to breed the intensity right out of this game and then it’ll be attractive to nobody

I thought the same. 2 maybe 3 if they wanted to "show the ref was right" so to speak. Byrne hasn't got a particularly bad disciplinary so I'm assuming that doesn't come into it, he wraps his arms and doesn't lead with the shoulder. As I said to The Reaper, if being upright alone is enough justification for a grade E then we're going to see a lot of players missing large chunks of the season.

You're right about the SOO. Neutrals everywhere have been saying this game was several levels up from the run of the mill SL game. We're not encouraging that intensity with ludicrous decisions like this.

And ftr I’ve no issue with them physically changing the rules of what is and isn’t allowed in terms of head contact and protecting players heads. Change the rules, deal with indiscretions on the day with cards or whatever is needed. Theres no way the insurance companies are demanding players being banned for getting tackles wrong so there’s no need for it to be happening

Brian Carney’s idea is similar and far more practical. We need to remember the speed at which the game is being played at. This is not 70’s thuggery.

We’re breeding players lying down looking for penalties and guys like Field and French signalling for ten minutes the other day and that is extremely sad to see. I hope Peet has had a strong word with those two after that.

In all honesty (and without excusing it) I think that was out of frustration at us having players sent off and trying to even it up a bit. Lees should have gone earlier if we're officiating to the current rules. I'm guessing the players had little faith in Kendall so were trying to take matters into their own hands

Like you say though, I don't like to see it or, in particular, the play acting. Not what we expect from our sport.

I said after the Cas game that I didn’t see a bad challenge all night and it was much the same on Friday. Everyone gets the need to be seen to be clamping down but a Grade E for this Byrne challenge is just incredible. We’ve had a couple of weeks of common sense after the players meeting but they’re going to have to make them a twice monthly thing if this keeps up.

The saddest part is that all this is going to get worse. It won’t be much better than football for it in a couple of years. Certain teams are already crowding the ref/rushing in/arm waving after challenges and then you get some (bad) coaches moaning about in game decisions (small ones, not stuff like this Byrne incident) and taking no blame for defeats and all that will only intensify.

How is Byrne's worse than this? It defies logic... https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... -foul-play 2-3 matches at worst.

How is Byrne's worse than this? It defies logic... https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... -foul-play 2-3 matches at worst.

Couldn't agree more mate. The game is being changed beyond all recognition unnecessarily. Baby and bath water comes to mind..