It potentially throws a spanner in the works for recruitment if points carry over each season. You could be looking at signing a player who is only 1 high tackle (and by that I mean a low force, low level one) away from a 5 match ban. A player might struggle to earn a new contract if a club doesn't want to take the risk of been 1 lazy arm away from missing basically a 5th of the season.

Absolutely. I don’t know how much truth there was in the rumours and at what point in the season he collected his points but someone like Liam Byrne looks less desirable now, it’s effectively like signing a player while injured.

Likewise, across the river our neighbours will be hoping MM doesn’t pick up any further infringements as he’ll be looking at an extended break on the sidelines.

I see Burgess has started the ball rolling with calling for a clean slate with the new disciplinary system .
Hope more will put the pressure on the RFL to do the right thing .

I don’t see how this can work. Players who got banned and fined last year paid for it under those rules. If they retrospectively add “points” that will lead to further bans and fines that’s surely something that would fail any legal challenge. Can anybody really justify double penalties?

Poor from the RFL.

Firstly, this should have been announced in October/November, after consultation with the clubs. The starting point should also have been agreed up front too. Either a clean slate for all or last years capped.

We’ll now see the RFL make an embarrassing climb down, which could have easily been avoided.