Case Number:

ON/0159/24

Liam Watts #8, Castleford Tigers

Competition:

Super League

Match:

Castleford Tigers v Wigan Warriors

Match Date:

2024-02-17

Incident:

Head Contact

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Law 15.1 (b)

Head Contact

Grade E

Fine:

£750

Sanctions:

3-5

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Guilty, but challenge the grading

Summary of CM's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 19th February 2024, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(b) during the above match.

The panel reviewed an incident which occurred at 31 24 footage time of the above match. In the Panel’s opinion you have contacted the head of your opponent. In the Panel’s opinion this is serious misconduct, has the potential for serious injury and is against the spirit of the game.

In accordance with the RFL’s On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the Panel consider that such offence is a Grade E offence – Head Contact.

The normal suspension range for such offence is 3 to 5 matches.

• Match Review Panel reviewed an incident in the above match.

• The player was dismissed from the field of play.

• The referees report stated that “On approximately the 28th min of the game, Wigan were in possession around 40m from the Castleford goal line. The Wigan man in possession came into contact low as to brace for impact. Castleford number 8 Liam Watts and another Castleford player attempted to tackle the ball carrier. Contact was forceful, dangerous and with in my opinion a high level of force. The ball carrier bracing for contact and losing height wasn’t enough mitigation in my opinion. After consultation with my team, I decided to dismiss Liam Watts from the field of play.

• The MRP in viewing the footage see no reason to disagree with this position.

• For a contact to the head with high level of force, the entry grading the Match Review Panel submit is a Grade E charge.

• As stated, the MRP agree with the referee’s position that there were no mitigating factors present within this incident.

• The aggravating factors are:

- Tackler makes no definite attempt to change height in an effort to avoid the ball carrier’s head.
- The trajectory of the tackler’s shoulder/arm is always going towards the ball carrier’s head.

• The Match Review Panel however do not believe that the aggravating factors are sufficient to move this matter to a Grade F offence and that this incident is worthy of a Grade E charge.

Summary of Player's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Player in attendance alongside Craig Lingard (Head Coach), Mark Grattan (MD) and Danny Wilson (Head of Rugby). Player pleads guilty but challenges the grading.

CL felt that the Referees Report was not consistent the action on-field. He felt that any contact to the head of the opponent was secondary and that it came from a teammate of LW.

The opponent did not need to leave the field for an HIA and CL questioned the “expertise” of a Referee as to the amount of force that was used in such incidents.

Decision:

Guilty plea

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Reasons for Decision:

It seems to the Tribunal that this is a Grade E starting point as there is forceful and Dangerous Contact been explained to us.

It seems to us that there is a player running hard towards two players who hit him in the head with their shoulders – clearly forceful regardless of the actions or reactions of the Referee.

The first mitigating feature urged on the players behalf is that there is an unusually low running style from the opponent in this particular tackle. This might be true but his height remains pretty constant albeit slightly lower than otherwise might be the norm.

What is clear is that there is no bending at the waist or the knee by Mr Watts, nor is there a rapid or sudden change of height so the point of mitigation must fail. Had he bent at the knee or at the waist he would have been lower and capable of making this tackle safely without making contact with the head.

The second point is that there was secondary contact suggesting that the opponent was pushed into Mr Watts. We think contact is simultaneous but note in order to be successful mitigation the contact with the head would have had to be of a minor nature and it was not.

The reason for the change in laws and guidance is so that players reduce the height at which they tackle and therefore make contact with their opponent so that there is much less chance of hitting the neck or head.

The Tribunal think that this has to be Grade E offence. This grade carries a suspension of between 3 to 5 matches. Taking into account the players previous record the Tribunal therefore feel a suspension for 4 matches is appropriate.

The player will also be fined £750. This is due to the fact an offence at this grade sees the standard fine lifted to 1.5 times.

Suspension:

4 matches