Everything Paul Cullen had to say on James Bentley, Luke Gale and Bureta Faraimo incidents

Here’s everything chair of the Match Review Panel Paul Cullen had to say on some of Super League’s biggest incidents so far in 2022.

Our League show ‘Sin Bin’ returned to the app this evening for the first time since 2020. The show allows fans a chance to get a first-hand and detailed explanation of some of the key decisions taken by the Match Review Panel.

Match Review Panel chair Cullen had his say on some of Super League’s biggest moments so far on the show.

Paul Cullen on James Bentley

James Bentley was sent from the field in his Leeds debut against Warrington in round one. The back-rower caught half-back Gareth Widdop high.

Cullen said: “James Bentley works from marker. He runs about 30 or 40 metres at pace across field and he has a right to do so.

“But if you’re going to come and make a tackle on Gareth Widdop, you ought not to hit him in the head with a swinging arm.

“Gareth Widdop is over six feet tall. Although he’s stepping back inside, that swinging right arm was only ever going to hit somebody in the head.

“It’s a reckless tackle. Charged at reckless, Grade C and the penalty notice attached was down to James’ previous record.”

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Bureta Faraimo yellow card

Castleford winger Bureta Faraimo was shown a yellow card in his side’s defeat to Hull KR. The former Hull man caught full-back Will Dagger high in the first half. He has since received a two-match ban.

Cullen commented: “Bureta Faraimo has run 25 metres on the back-end of a high kick and a player ought to accept that a full-backs or wingers catching a high kick has the right to catch and drop.

“It’s invariably what full-backs do. Because they catch a ball and drop to the ground to avoid having the ball being taken off them or pushed in goal or over the touchline.

“If they drop, you can’t just carry on and catch him in the head because you didn’t expect him to drop. I don’t know a full-back who doesn’t catch a bomb and drop. They’re not going to stand tall and wait to be bent in half.

“So, if you run 25 metres, you have to moderate your behaviour. Charged at reckless because of the way he enters into the tackle, the contact to the head and the injury to the player.”

Luke Gale high boot

Hull skipper Luke Gale was shown a red card against St Helens for a high boot on opposition Jonny Lomax. The game was aired live on Channel 4.

He has since received a five-match ban by the Match Review Panel.

“It’s something we hadn’t seen from Luke Gale or in fact from anybody,” said Cullen.

“If you lead with your feet, that’s a highly reckless or intentional act. There’s a difference of opinion there.

“But if you lead with your feet and your studs are up and you put that foot up to the kicking leg of a player who has a right to kick the ball; Jonny Lomax has the right to kick that ball without anything going into his shin, unless it’s a reasonable tackle.

“That would be a shoulder, an arm or upper body where you’re trying to charge the ball down or tackle the man before he kicks. To lead with your studs is an intentional act.”

READ MORE: Robert Hicks on player records and Match Review Panel consistency