COMMENT: In light of the most recent incident surrounding Willie Peters’ severe response after losing, no club is blameless.

The head coach of Hull KR, Willie Peters, feels that players are becoming more and more prone to staying down to draw additional penalties for foul play, but most, if not all, teams have profited from this, whether morally or otherwise.

In the top-of-the-table Super League clash between Wigan and Hull KR, a major talking point arose when Jai Whitbread was sin-binned for high contact on Tyler Dupree following a heavy collision. Dupree stayed down after the tackle, prompting the video referee to intervene and send Whitbread to the sin bin for 10 minutes. Wigan went on to win the match, claiming the top spot in the league.

Hull KR coach Willie Peters expressed his frustration with players staying down after tackles to potentially influence refereeing decisions. While he accepted the decision regarding Whitbread, Peters highlighted the growing issue of players exploiting a loophole to win penalties, though he stopped short of accusing Dupree of deliberate gamesmanship.

The incident echoes a similar scenario from the 2023 Challenge Cup semi-final when Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis stayed down after being taken high, leading to Joe Shorrocks’ red card. This recurring issue has led to debate over the fairness of such situations, with some arguing that staying down after contact to the head should lead to mandatory Head Injury Assessments (HIA).

Wigan legend Sam Tomkins discussed the incident post-match on Sky Sports, acknowledging that while players like Dupree are merely exploiting the current rules, the system needs to be tightened. He also noted that while Whitbread’s action wasn’t egregious, the decision to sin-bin him had a significant impact on the game. Tomkins and England captain Jodie Cunningham both advocated for reform in how such incidents are handled, with Cunningham suggesting players who stay down after head contact should be sent for an HIA.

Ultimately, while incidents like these raise questions about players’ tactics, the consensus is that player safety must come first. Fans and commentators agree that head-high tackles should be penalized, but reforms may be necessary to prevent players from exploiting the rules for advantage.