The prospect of players being banned for the Super League play-offs has been significantly reduced after the RFL opted to ‘freeze’ existing penalty points for the end of the season.

The current disciplinary system sees a player receive a one-match suspension when they reach six penalty points within a 12-month period. Every charge issued to a player stays on their record for a full year, meaning the most consistent offenders have a much greater likelihood of being suspended.

But the governing body have made a significant change ahead of the play-offs starting next week – with any players charged after Round 27 effectively starting from zero penalty points. That is because the RFL have decided to freeze existing penalty points.

It means that, for example, if a player gets a Grade C charge, they would receive the usual five penalty points – but would not be banned irrespective of how many points they already have on their record due to their tally accrued throughout the regular season being frozen.

It is a clear attempt from the governing body to keep players on the field at the business end of the season – and ensure nobody is banned for each of the six teams’ first play-off game, whenever that may be.

The governing body wrote to clubs this week confirming the game, saying: “Following the completion of the Regular Season, any Penalty Points that have been accumulated in the Regular Season will be ‘frozen’ so that if a player were to be charged ahead of the first Play Off match any Penalty Points would not take into account those that were accumulated in the Regular Season.

“If a Player however is charged and accepts or is found guilty during the Play Offs, then those Penalty Points will be subject to a reduction in Penalty Points carried forward and will not be frozen.

“Ahead of the following season, the Penalty Points that were frozen following completion of the Regular Season or accumulated during the Play Off matches will become live again on a Player’s record until such time they are removed, 12 months from when the offence took place.

“Therefore, any players who are charged at the Match Review Panel meeting this Monday 14thSeptember, will have zero Penalty Points on their disciplinary records prior to the implementation of the Penalty Points for any offence that the player is charged with.

“For example, if a player is charged with a Grade C offence they will receive 5 Penalty Points and therefore a Fine as there will be no Penalty Points to add to their record at this stage.”