Jackson Hastings has – correctly, many would argue – avoided a charge from the Rugby Football League after making contact with Bradford Bulls forward Will Gardiner on Saturday.

Hastings put his hands on the shoulders of Gardiner shortly after he was knocked out at Odsal Stadium in a clear attempt to protect the welfare of the player and make him comfortable.

However, it immediately led to fears that Hastings could land a charge from the Match Review Panel for the incident. Several Super League players have been pinged for making contact with an injured player this season – with the most recent and high-profile example Semi Valemei of Castleford Tigers.

Valemei attempted to put Noah Stephens in a recovery position after he was hit heavy during the Tigers’ win over St Helens earlier this season; it landed him a three-match suspension as a result.

But Hastings has avoided the same fate.

Why Hastings wasn’t banned

The reason Hastings did manage to not be charged is because of the nuance of the rule itself, rule 15.1 in the RFL’s Operational Rules.

That rule dictates that any player who behaves in a spirit contrary to the game: “makes unnecessary contact with a player who is or may be injured”.

But players are effectively only hit with charges when it is deemed that players are moved in such a way that it could cause an injury or further injury to an opponent.

So Hastings merely putting his hands on Gardiner to look after him was not a direct break of that rule. It was clear in the eyes of the MRP, Love Rugby League has been told, that Hastings did not move the player at any stage.

Therefore, it was deemed he did not put his opponent at any further risk of serious injury and as such, was not effectively ‘against the true spirit of the game’.

Castleford’s Valemei stance

There is likely to be frustration from Castleford Tigers though, who still feel Valemei was doing the right thing.

However, it is clear with the rule that Valemei’s attempt to move Stephens breached that rule – making it the ruling itself which is perhaps at fault, rather than the actions of the Tigers winger.

Whether that ruling is tweaked or not in order to give players leeway if they are acting in good faith and attempting to look after a player’s welfare remains to be seen.

But the Tigers are likely to question why their player was suspended and Hastings wasn’t. But fortunately in the case of the Saints, they will be available to call on one of their most influential players for this weekend’s Magic Weekend clash with Wigan Warriors on Sunday evening.

Had they lost Hastings they would have been facing a half-back crisis. George Whitby is out long-term, as is Jonny Lomax – meaning Tristan Sailor would have had to go into the halves alongside an unfamiliar face.

But the Great Britain international is free to play, and rightly so.

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