Punish the 'bad boys' of Super League – Brown

The Australian yesterday launched a fierce attack on the lack of deterrents against foul play in Super League after seeing Wigan's Sean O'Loughlin escape with no ban for a late, high tackle on diminutive Huddersfield scrum-half Luke Robinson in Sunday's 28-10 loss.

Referee Ben Thaler chose only to lecture the Wigan captain and an RFL match review panel has since decided to simply caution the England international without need for a disciplinary hearing.

After the game, Brown had said he would allow his own "enforcers" to seek retribution if officials chose not to support the "little" players and yesterday the reigning Super League coach of the year conceded he was unsurprised by the subsequent lack of action.

"That's my whole point," he said. "It's not pick on Wigan, or Wigan players, or anyone, but it's about the whole game in general.

"It's a serious issue. As coaches it's our obligation to protect players but they simply aren't over here.

"There's no risk in anyone doing anything late on players because they'll be sent to the judiciary, maybe fined 300, slapped on the wrist and get a cup of coffee.

"It wouldn't have happened in Australia because a player would have known he'd have got in strife.

"Here, any player from any team can take a risk – a la O'Loughlin – and know the reward is much more to him while it discourages good players from playing.

"I firmly believe if one of my players did what happened the other day he should have been sent off, and suspended for a month or two, to discourage him from attacking people.

"People won't do it if someone is made an example of."

Brown even readily admits Huddersfield prop Darrell Griffin should have received a two-week ban for a grapple tackle earlier this season but escaped with no suspension.

"I hear from the people that control the game that there's not enough good players over here so they can't go suspending them for too long," he said.

"That's disgraceful. You've got to protect your best assets."

The former St George Illawarra chief, hotly linked with a return to the NRL next season, believes referees, coaches, judiciary members and coaches must sit down together to establish firmer action and Brown is also happy to turn whistle-blower on the intricacies of illegal tactics.

"Us coaches need to be honest and show them that a grapple tackle, or putting your knee on a pressure point on the calf, or a chicken-wing tackle, are all just designed to inflict pain and make you play the ball slower," he said. "I've got players that have done it and expect them to be suspended but the rules over here mean they don't."

Meanwhile, Hull assistant coach Dennis Moore has left his post for personal reasons and the Rugby League International Federation have called on South Sydney to allow their former Bradford Bulls forward Sam Burgess to play for England against France on June 12.