Rugby League: Super League holds firm on disciplinary policy
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Your support makes all the difference.The Rugby League has rejected an appeal from Super League to change its disciplinary procedures to avoid the uncertainty that both Leeds and Wigan could have faced before their eagerly awaited match on Friday.
Super League wants hearings moved from Thursday to earlier in the week, so that coaches will know whether players sent off or placed on report will be available.
Leeds' Marc Glanville was dismissed at London last Friday, and Wigan's Andy Farrell was reported during his game at Sheffield the following day, although he has been told that he has no case to offer.
"In this day and age, there is no reason why Super League hearings cannot be held on a Monday or Tuesday, so that clubs will know where they stand," said Super League's managing director, Maurice Lindsay.
But the League is not keen on the idea, claiming that some clubs would fail to submit match videos in time and that all hearings should be at the same time.
"It is one game; there must be one disciplinary hearing," said a League spokesman, Peter Rowe.
If Glanville, who is accused of stamping on an opponent's hand, is suspended, the Leeds coach, Graham Murray, could bring in Barrie McDermott, who completed his own ban by playing on loan for Bramley at Workington on Sunday.
The prospect of a Super League record crowd for the match has been stymied by council safety officers reducing Headingley's capacity to 18,750.
Wigan plan to use the money they have made by selling their winger Rob Smyth, to retain their sought-after utility back, Darryl Cardiss.
The club had a change of heart last week, agreeing to sell Smyth to the Broncos for pounds 30,000. "It was something we did reluctantly," said the Wigan coach, John Monie. "But if we can use that money to give Darryl a bit more, we might be able to keep him."
Bradford and London are to play their match at Tynecastle in Edinburgh on Saturday, 18 July, a day earlier than originally announced, thus avoiding a clash with the Emerging England versus Wales fixture at Widnes.
Garry Schofield, coach of Huddersfield, the only Super League side without a point, says that it is "a main priority" to retain the Great Britain prop, Neil Harmon, despite Bradford's interest in him.
The Rugby League has formed a partnership with Sparks, the charity through which sport finances children's medical research.
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