Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 8:52 pm  

The Singleton/Sims punch up today got me thinking. Is it really fair that both players get the same punishment (sin bin) in that situation?
When Singleton starts punching Sims, what is Sims meant to do to avoid a sin bin? Run away?? Stand there like a punch bag?? His only option realistically was to punch back, it was pretty much self-defence. In that situation it seems harsh to give Sims the same punishment

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 9:01 pm  

I'd agree, if it was anyone except Sims...

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 9:03 pm  

moto748 wrote:

I'd agree, if it was anyone except Sims...

Was just using that incident to illustrate my point! This is quite a regular occuence

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 9:07 pm  

Same feelings honestly. He doesn't have any option other than to fight back until the other players are able to break them both up.

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 9:24 pm  

Grade D based on last week at Swinton

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 9:27 pm  

Halifax1989 wrote:

The Singleton/Sims punch up today got me thinking. Is it really fair that both players get the same punishment (sin bin) in that situation?
When Singleton starts punching Sims, what is Sims meant to do to avoid a sin bin? Run away?? Stand there like a punch bag?? His only option realistically was to punch back, it was pretty much self-defence. In that situation it seems harsh to give Sims the same punishment

I've thought the same thing for a while, possibly a red for the instigator and a yellow for the retaliator? I can get a bit more complicated though. Singleton threw the first punch but to play devils advocate you could argue that Sims instigated it by aggressively moving towards Singleton and grabbing his shirt, Singleton could claim self defence as he feared for his safety.

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 9:31 pm  

If they're gonna punish all punches it should be a straight red for the player throwing the first & 10mins in the bin if you throw a few back defending yourself

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 11:15 pm  

Barrett was robbed wrote:

If they're gonna punish all punches it should be a straight red for the player throwing the first & 10mins in the bin if you throw a few back defending yourself

I think that's fine when you've got TV cameras, so you can have a sneaky look at the replay before deciding. Problem is, in the rest of the RL world where most matches don't have touch judges, let alone video refs, you almost never get to see who threw the first punch. You're following the ball, and then you glance back and see two players going at it. There's no way most of us refs can decide who threw one first. So yellow for both every time.

Re: Self defence : Fri May 27, 2016 11:29 pm  

Halifax1989 wrote:

The Singleton/Sims punch up today got me thinking. Is it really fair that both players get the same punishment (sin bin) in that situation?
When Singleton starts punching Sims, what is Sims meant to do to avoid a sin bin? Run away?? Stand there like a punch bag?? His only option realistically was to punch back, it was pretty much self-defence. In that situation it seems harsh to give Sims the same punishment

Kurt Gidley tried the punch bag option against Wakefield, and still found himself in the bin (same Ref too).

Re: Self defence : Sat May 28, 2016 4:34 am  

Totally agree, you're not gonna stand their taking a few upper cuts to the jaw are you? I mean if you're walking down the street and someone jumps out waving a knife about you arent gonna go "oh I better let this guy repeatedly stab me cos the police might get me done for punching him back..." Idiot refs...