... don't you think the ref should have said, [i"Sam, I know you weren't trying to attack Tom Lineham's eyes - but I'm sending you off because [uYOU ATTACKED TOM LINEHAM'S EYES![/u".[/i

I mean, refs don't let someone off for attacking someone's jaw with the elbow because [i"it's accidental"[/i.

I don't think Tautai meant to dump the Hull player on his head....but he still dumped him on his head.

Accidental yes, but still too serious under the "duty of care" to other players. Likewise the Powell incident. Should be punished just to teach him and others they need to be more careful.

Still it's James Child though so he'll probably get rewarded with another 2 SL games to ref next week just like he's getting this weekend whilst promising Joe Cobb doesn't get any Top 8 game this weekend.

Still must be because he's "earned it"

It didn't look good on the replays. Definitely "careless" shall we say. It's not the initial contact but the apparent "grab" with the fingers that's the concerning part.
As you say, plenty of other offences don't take intent into account.
I can see why they didn't send him off, but I'm at a loss as to how it wasn't given as a penalty.

Don't do it, Printer. Leave it on the original thread.

If a player leaps at an opponent and connects cleanly with an elbow-point to the jaw (forcing said opponent to leave the field with a serious injury) - how often does the ref not issue a red and say, [i"I don't think you [uMEANT[/u to"[/i?

You appear to be bitter about something. I don't know what it is. But if you start muttering at the same time people are likely to avoid you.

I agree it didn't look good on replay. In real time, I didn't think there was much in it. I expected a yellow. No pen was crazy.

The salient point here is whether or not Powell meant to gouge Lineham's eyes - the result is he [uhas gouged Lineham's eyes.[/u

Also, I can't help feeling the SKY team were looking to excuse Powell precisely because gouging is such a universally despised act and no sane person would ever behave so reprehensibly.

But some players DO behave so reprehensibly.

It was a strange one. There's no doubt what the end result was. I believe intent has to factor in something like this, only Powell can say for sure but I don't think that is what he was trying to do. I think it was an attempt to grab the shirt that went wrong. The VR took a lot of looks at it so must have thought the same.

That said there was direct contact with the face, intentional or not it's still a penalty at the very least.

The Tautai one was a shocker. Players should have realised by now that they can't lift like that. It should have been a Red. I suppose Child had an easy cop out as there was only 7 mins left so a yellow was in effect a sending off. I'd expect a minimum grade C.

it was nasty, maybe not intentional, but nasty all the same.

looking at Powell's fingers, it appears he was looking to reef the ball out of Lineham's grasp, but he was nowhere near the ball

only Powell knows what his true intentions were, but it wasn't good was it?

as for James Child, he has a history this season and in years past to let things go that have resulted in serious injuries and lengthy bans!

Not only should fc got a penalty but didnt wigan score in their next set?