LEIGH LEOPARDS head coach Adrian Lam believes that John Asiata should not have been banned for one match, as he calls into question the number of bans handed out for one week at a time.
Asiata was handed a Grade C Dangerous Contact charge in the aftermath of Leigh’s win over London Broncos last weekend.
The Leopards appealed at an Operational Rules Tribunal, but the appeal fell flat and Asiata will now sit out Leigh’s important fixture against Warrington Wolves tomorrow night.
Now Lam has revealed why the club appealed.
“We appealed on the grounds that we felt that the grading wasn’t right and that it should have been a Grade B which would have got him off this week,” Lam said.
“His actions, we felt, weren’t as bad as what were mentioned. We fought that and obviously didn’t win.”
Lam does feel that there are too many bans circulating around Super League at present.
“In our game, a lot of decisions are going against teams where the sinbins are 50/50.
“The game we love to watch is best when it is 13 on 13. A penalty or a sinbin is sufficient for every team.
“These are big players on big money and they need to play unless it’s attacking the head. I can’t see why players are missing one week.
“It is very frustrating.”
Click here to get the digital edition of League Express
Click here to subscribe to the print edition of League Express
League Express is also widely available from local newsagents across the north of England.
