WIGAN WARRIORS head coach Matt Peet is a fan of the new disciplinary system as he reflects on Adam Keighran receiving five penalty points from a Grade C Head Contact charge.
The new disciplinary system has seen the introduction of a points-based system, with suspensions to be incurred when players reach certain points thresholds – rather than as the result of the grading of each individual offence, as previously.
Offences are still graded – now in five categories from A-E, rather than six from A-F as previously – and the two most serious categories, D and E, will still incur an immediate suspension.
But the aim is to reduce the number of players being suspended for relatively minor offences, unless they are consistent offenders in which case they will accumulate points beyond suspension thresholds.
Whilst Keighran received a Grade C Head Contact and thus five penalty points during Wigan’s 1-0 loss to the Leigh Leopards last weekend, he has not been suspended.
For his head coach Peet, the Australian centre “needs to be “careful”.
“I had a chat with him – he needs to be careful and we want him to be more careful,” Peet said.
“I understand it was a bit of a reaction to a kick even though his timing was off. We need to be better.”
Overall, though, Peet is a fan of the new disciplinary points system and drew comparisons between Keighran’s five penalty points and Wakefield Trinity star Mason Lino, who also received five penalty points from Round One.
“I like it. Looking at it this week. The Grade C players all stayed on the field and got a fine but their card is marked that if they do it again then they will miss a game.
“If you look at Adam’s tackle and Mason Lino’s, I’m not sure they deserve to miss a game off one incident, but the way it’s scored, you wouldn’t want to see a player do that repeatedly and they will miss a game if they do.”