Heading into the new Rugby league season, it appears that there has been a change in the disciplinary process, as confirmed by Keighley Cougars.
The League One side provided an update that forward Brad England will serve a three-match ban and that saw them explain the new disciplinary system that it’s expected will be implemented across the top three tiers of rugby league. The RFL has yet to comment on the new system.
Keighley forward England was handed a Grade D charge for ‘reckless physical contact with a match official’ during Keighley’s pre-Christmas friendly against Bradford Bulls.
On the new points-based disciplinary system, which is akin to how points work on a driving licence, a Grade D charge is worth 12 points – which when added to the six points he carried over from the previous system takes him to 18 – which represents a three-match ban.
Points will be taken off a player’s record after a year and the standard Grade A, B, C, D and E levels of charge remain and all carry different points which equate to different punishments.
How the new rugby league disciplinary system works
Different grades of charge are worth the following number of points; Grade A (1 point), Grade B (3 points), Grade C (5 points), Grade D (12 points) and Grade E sees players automatically referred to a tribunal.
Those referred to a tribunal will see the tribunal determine the appropriate sanction – ranging from suspension, points allocation to a player’s record and/or monetary fines.
The points system works as follows;
-0-2 No further action
3-5 Fine
6-8 1 match suspension
9-11 1 match suspension and a fine
12-14 2 match suspension
15-17 2 match suspension and a fine
18-20 3 match suspension
21-23 3 match suspension and a fine
24-26 4 match suspension
27-29 4 match suspension and a fine
30-32 5 match suspension
33-35 5 match suspension and a fine
36-38 6 match suspension and a fine
39-41 7 match suspension and a fine
42-44 8 match suspension and a fine
45-47 9 match suspension and a fine
48-50 10 match suspension and a fine
51-53 11 match suspension and a fine
54 + 12 match suspension plus and a fine
There are a number of factors at play with the new system, namely if a player is injured on account of someone’s offence, and whether the player is sent from the field for committing an offence.
When an opposition player is removed from the field and cannot return as a result of charged misconduct then an additional three points are allocated to the offending player’s disciplinary record.
As for players being dismissed from the game for an offence, if it happens in the first half then two points are removed from that player’s record. If it happens in the second half then just one point is removed from their record. Should a player not have enough points on their record to have points subtracted then it resets at zero points instead.
Clubs who fail in the challenge of a Grade A to D charge will see five points added to that players record. For example, a player who is hit with a Grade A charge (1 point) challenges and fails will see five points added to the initial one – meaning six points are added to their disciplinary record – which accrues a ban.
Keighley claim that The Rugby Football League have implemented that measure in an attempt to deter players and clubs from challenging in certain circumstances.
As for Keighley Cougars, who now have Brad England banned for three matches, they have confirmed that they will review the full incident and make a decision on how they handle it.
