RFL chief Robert Hicks encouraged by players meeting but not complacent amid strike threat

The intensifying crackdown on head contact has overshadowed the start of the 2024 season with 21 cards and 22 charges issued in the opening two rounds.

The new tackle laws and harsher sanctions have left some players disillusioned and considering strike action.

St Helens prop Alex Walmsley has publicly expressed his concerns about the lack of player input on major decisions and quickly received strong support from his fellow professionals.

Hicks, the RFL's director of operations and legal, views Wednesday's three-hour meeting with players from across Super League as a step in the right direction.

"We should be clear that we're not complacent about that not happening," he said on the threat of strike action.

"I don't think it's a surprise that people are talking about it, but I thought the meeting was positive and that the players articulated themselves fantastically well.

"It didn't just cover head-on-head contact; it covered a wide range of things. What the governing body, the RLPA, Rugby League Cares and the players all agreed on was that the players are a massive part of the decision-making process going forward and that they have representation.

"I'm not complacent about that – but I thought it was a really positive and constructive meeting."

The tipping point was Nu Brown's wrongful dismissal in Hull FC's game against Warrington Wolves last Friday, described by Hicks as "an uncomfortable moment for the sport".

Brown became the first major victim of the new head-on-head contact law following a clash with Ben Currie that left the Warrington forward nursing a cut.

The red card sparked outrage across the game after Currie was spun into Brown's head from the initial tackle.

The RFL later acknowledged the directive was not clear and that it should only apply to initial contact.

Hull went on to lose 36-10 from a promising position, leading some onlookers to question why there was ambiguity in the framework coming into the season.

"The reality of that is a lot of this was changing during the off-season and we didn't have live matches," said Hicks.

"We've now had 11 and seen some incidents that happen. Until you actually see something in operation, sometimes you do miss things.

"Clearly, the ideal world would have been that the framework made it clear this was purely about initial contact and/or had something in there that gave referees and the match review panel a little bit of a way to use their rugby league knowledge to get to the right outcome."

The RFL has conceded that the officials at the Halliwell Jones Stadium were put in "an invidious position".

Phil Bentham, who recently returned to the governing body as head of match officials, is confident that referees will not find themselves in that situation again.

"They were very, very uncomfortable with the decision," he said.

"We were straight on to it to come to a solution that would suit everybody so we don't have to go into this weekend with that framework holding us back in terms of making sensible decisions.

"That's been dealt with this week and the referees are a lot more comfortable going into the weekend and are aware of exactly where they can use mitigations within the framework to come out with sensible outcomes."

Hicks added: "I feel confident that this weekend we won’t have the dramas of last."

Super League coaches also had an opportunity to express their concerns about the disciplinary process during a separate meeting with the RFL on Wednesday.

Craig Lingard, whose Castleford Tigers side suffered some early pain in the shape of Liam Watts' red card and subsequent four-match ban, is encouraged by the early dialogue with the governing body.

"It's a work in progress so there are going to be frustrations," he said.

"We know that referees aren't going to make the right decisions all the time, whether it's on the field or video refs – and it's the same with players and coaches. There's got to be a bit of patience and buy-in.

"Historically in the past, if you made a complaint about something or tried to bring something up, there was sort of an attitude of 'It's not our problem, it's your problem'. This is a collective problem we need to get right and all the avenues of communication have been open and honest."

Huddersfield Giants boss Ian Watson has also welcomed the greater transparency.

"The good thing is the RFL have been pretty open at the start of this year," said Watson, whose side got through the opening two rounds without losing a player to a card.

"To have the meeting after two rounds to see where everyone is at is a positive sign.

"These forums haven't really been open in the past. It's no good people making decisions on the game when those people don't understand what that physical contact is about. To get the insight of people on the frontline is massively important.

"The dialogue we're having is a positive for the game."