[url=http://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/4858McManus issues club statement about Travis Burns injury challenge[/url

He has a point IMO. Without wanting to make this thread entirely about the challenge, it was as bad as it gets in both intent and injury. The farcical on field officials bottled it and the even more farcical review system failed to pick up a proper ban for it. I thought the Grand Final incident and the ban it brought might signal a proper approach to dangerous challenges, but apparently not. It's toss a coin time over such matters still. The RFL will no doubt respond to this with a fine for McManus and ignore the obvious issues.

It's also quite likely to bite Saints on the bum. The next borderline challenge from Saints will no doubt be met with an exaggerated response in a mard retaliation to this statement being issued. It's very interesting that McManus has gone public with this, particularly just before the derby with Wigan. A derby we're going to have to turn into a dour forward battle if we're to avoid being slaughtered given our injury mess again.

Bell whiff what is the point of you... Jog on back to Yawnion.

Saints have had some scandalous decisions in their favour against Catalans, Wakefield and HKR. Didn't hear a peep out of him then. Needs to wind his neck in.

Is there a bit of a difference perhaps between a forward pass and a triple fracture of the cheekbone?

He's right about the disciplinaries and off field sanctions they MUST be consistent.

As for refs, they're human, they'll miss things, get it wrong and make mistakes thats why the above is VITAL!

This isn't about Saints and being 'hard done to'.

Its clearly a point raised about the disciplinary process and officiating standards in GENERAL. There is also the addition of how player welfare is paramount and the current disciplinary seems to be ignoring it.

Please focus the discussion around the above as that is the issue raised. The whole 'yeah well your club got these calls' debate is boring.

He's right off field sanctions must be consistent. So no favours for the bigger clubs then.
Saints have had more than their share of 50/50 calls going their way this season already.

Hudgell,did the same and got caned by the RFL . Would expect the same for McManus.

The thing that bothers me the most, is that aswell as a late tackle these tackles are almost every time shoulder charges aswell. This means it's two offences at the same time and also they are very intentional and very dangerous. Taking all that into account I don't see how they can justify just awarding a penalty. It's not going to stop unless they clamp down and start dishing out the red cards consistently.

Remind me, which dangerous play / disciplinary decisions in our favour were scandalous in those games?

McManus is spot on. If that statement had been released jointly by all chairman to remove reference to and bias for/against saints, everyone would agree with every word.

Funny you mention the Wakey game, as we saw in that game a great example of the inconsistency of the game. Jon Wilkin was rightly penalised for a late challenge on the Wakey player yet 2 minutes later Mark Flanagan gets a shoulder in the face from Lautititi (and a serious facial injury) and nothing was mentioned about it.

You're probably right, and maybe if Mr McManus and a few of the other chairman had backed Neil Hudgell when he spoke out against the disciplinary system not being fit for purpose last year we'd maybe have got somewhere as a united force. But he didn't as saints were obviously getting the rub of the green whereas now this matter affects them. The disciplinary system is a farce, some refereeing performances are ruining the game but its not just started happening!!

On this occasion the ref missed the incident, it was picked up and Green got a two match ban. I don't think Mr McManus would've been shouting so loud had the boot been on the other foot. Think your players truly are going to have to be saints now thanks to his outburst