Lee Radford got sent off and a one match ban for a very similar incident.

My mind went back to that incident as well. Gansen is a ****.

If he's not done for the year then it's bent. I don't scream or shout about these sort of things. I keep a level head and call things as I see them like the McIlorum incident. On the night I thought he was unlucky but after seeing it I realise he's not. He meant that and as much as I thought he may fluke a 2 game ban due to him missing the majority of the Saints game he's got what he deserves.

On that note Leuluai has lost his marbles. There's no debate about 'did he, didn't he' mean it like there is with a high tackle, he's dead set lost it and assaulted him. Its a minimum 2 game ban going off off past rulings.

It won't be though.

No wonder the Leeds players were all laughing afterwards. This game takes my breath away at times.

The silly thing about all this is that it shouldn't be a ban. Ganson handled the situation exactly as he should have and there should be no repercussions after the event. Unfortunately the RFL have set a precedent with the Radford incident and to some extent the whole Wigan Saints fight.

Something or somebody needs to do something about all this, it's becoming ridiculous. Micky mac deservedly got a 3 match ban, so how can PUNCHING a bloke in the face be treated like that? Ganson treated it like a joke and actually laughed at one point!?!? There is zero consistency. Cummings and his
Chums are a laughing stock

Except that they always seem to have the last laugh, being answerable to nobody and all that.

I agree in a way mate. He was right in one aspect but totally wrong, bent and hypocritical in another. His comment of "There's only 1 minute 33 seconds left" wound me up more than anything though. What difference does that make? If a guy has made contact with the head and thrown several punches then WTF has the time on the clock got to do with anything?

I don't know which game he was watching at the time. Those punches were actually pretty nasty, and very, very intentional. And Ablett's was one of the most sly I've ever seen and totally unprovoked.

Bob on. The incident at magic should have been dealt with in the same way this one was, despite Wiggo suggesting that it had soured the whole weekend. But the precedent has been set.

Jesus, these boards would explode if that as gaz hock tonight, imagine the reaction.

The Wigan v Saints one was a little different in the fact that it was 'heated' so maybe the sinbin should have been used. The one tonight was over in a flash and there seemed to be no I'll feeling after it so penalty and no further action. Unfortunately 3 players were sent off and bans issued in the derby so the precedent was set.

He was right to take no action at the time. I think he did well to diffuse the situation and with so little time left there was no reason to give a red card, he just needed to calm things down.

However there should definitely be bans. A punch up is fine as long as it's man on man and no one does anything cheap/nasty. Leuluai did and deserves a ban for it.

That's my point though. The time on the clock should have no bearing whatsoever on a referees decision.

Last week the same referee advised that MM was sent off for contact to the head. This week he was informed of contact to the head AND punches but decided not too because of the time on the clock.

Yes he was spot on to calm it down and yes it should have just been swept under the carpet, but for him to use the line about how long was left was totally wrong imo. If he'd have sent him off in the 1st minute (which going off his instruction to Child last week he would) then he should send him off in the last.

If it was a football game I would agree with you. However in rugby league a red card after say 78 minutes in a game that's all but over is effectively meaningless. The fact that games are reviewed for incidents afterwards means the correct punishment should (although not necessarily knowing the RFL) be given out. There's no automatic suspensions and no way for a player to escape punishment if it's deserved by not getting a red card in that situation.

In this instance though the only real issue was making sure the players calmed down and that the incident didn't escalate. Anything uncalled for would be picked up after the game anyway.