SKY SPORTS pundit Brian Carney has proposed a radical new rugby league disciplinary system in a bid to clear up confusion.
At present, rugby league players are scrutinised after each game via the Disciplinary Match Review Panel, but Carney believes that a simpler measure – akin to a driver’s license point system – would work well in rugby league.
A driver can get up to nine points on their license before it is taken away from them and Carney has proposed that, following an offence which a player would normally be banned for, they receive points instead.
Once they get up to the maximum number of points, that is when they would be suspended rather than on a weekly basis as has been found so far in 2024.
In an interview with the RFL’s Director of Operations and Legal, Robert Hicks, on the Laying Down The Law podcast on Sky Sports, Carney revealed his idea, saying: “You have a driver’s licence and you understand the concept of having points on your licence. What I propose is a playing licence and points on your licence and a movement away from this desire to suspend players.
“We can sanction players without removing their availability the following week. We’ve talked it through, it could be 12 points before you get a five-match suspension.”
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