IN recent Super League seasons there have been a few occasions in which playacting has crept into the sport.
Due to the crackdown in foul play, there have been occurrences where players have stayed down whilst Sky Sports, BBC or Channel 4 cameras have tracked back to particular incidents.
In doing so, those players on the floor have been able to win penalties, well that is now about to be changed with the increasing usage of the green card.
The card, introduced for the 2022 Super League season, was used whenever a game was stopped due to a player receiving attention, meaning the player either had to go for a concussion assessment or be substituted off, or had to wait on the sideline for two minutes before being able to return to the field.
Now, the green card will be used for any pause in the game for injury treatment, which will force players to stay off the field for a further two minutes.
Huddersfield Giants head coach Ian Watson is particularly happy to see the greater leverage given to the card.
“I’m pretty happy with where the game is, I like what they’ve done with the green card,” Watson told League Express.
“I think that’s good and will help the game as well. It makes it a little bit easier for the referee rather than having to think on their feet or come up with different actions on the back of what they’ve seen.
“I think the game is a great product, I love rugby league and I don’t think too much needs to be changed.
“I think if you keep changing things then that’s when it gets lost to the outside supporters. We need to focus on what the actual game is and build on that.
“It should stop playacting, there have been times on Sky when a player has gone down and referees have missed it.”
Watson also went further. He believes that players staying down on the floor when uninjured hurts the game’s image.
“Players and coaches miss things so if they’ve missed it and there’s nothing wrong with you then get up and continue the game,” Watson continued.
“Everyone talks about wanting a fast, exciting game but then there are players who stay down for silly little things when they aren’t helping to sell the product.”
