“The game’s getting ridiculous now” – coach on Summer Bash yellow cards

Barrow coach Paul Crarey was a happy man after seeing his side beat Widnes at Summer Bash, but expressed concern over two sin-bin decisions late on.

The Raiders fought from 16-6 down to blow Widnes away in the second half, scoring four tries to one to all but secure their play-off spot.

But both sides ended with a man in the sin-bin following two separate incidents.

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Two yellow cards

First, Barrow half-back Jarrod Sammut was yellow-carded for an apparent cannonball tackle on Widnes prop Owen Farnworth.

Farnworth was wrapped up by two defenders, when Sammut came in around the legs.

Later on, he too would see yellow for a high tackle on Luke Cresswell as he chased back on a Barrow break from a loose ball.

Both incidents didn’t prompt an immediate punishment, and instead the yellow cards came after replays had been shown on the big screen at Headingley.

Crarey said: “I didn’t think there was anything in it. There were some strange calls off that touchline.

“The guy himself didn’t complain. If you get a bad challenge, you react badly don’t you?

“When we watch every aspect of the tackle when the game’s stopped, and all of a sudden (there’s a card). Both were incidents I don’t think were sinbins.

“I just thought it was an open game and it needed to flow a little bit, especially at the end when both teams are going for it.

“We’ll have to look at it on the tape, but I hope they’ve got it right, I don’t think they did.

“I don’t think it was a sinbin for their fella. What’s he supposed to do? When somebody gets away, you’ve got to tackle him, and he’s just caught him around the shoulders.

“The game’s getting so ridiculous now and big bans are going out here, there and everywhere. It’s difficult.

“There’s not enough players to go around.

“So maybe we can police it in another way. The intentional stuff, yeah. But sometimes you’ve got to look at how would you bring that person down? How would you make that tackle when you scramble?

“Everything’s all right when it’s black and white, but rugby league’s not black and white.”

MORE: John Kear disappointed after tasting defeat for first time as Widnes coach at Summer Bash

Phenomenal year for Barrow

Barrow’s exciting right hand side of Sammut, Hakim Miloudi and Tee Ritson combined for their second try, and Ritson ended with a brace for the third time this season against Widnes.

Ritson now has 25 tries in 24 games in 2022.

The Raiders’ next assignment is away at runaway leaders Leigh, and Crarey admits he may rest a few players carrying niggles.

He added: “I think everybody’s struggling at the moment in terms of injuries and suspensions, it’s just about limping along unless you’ve got an endless pot of money.

“It’s been a phenomenal year for us in terms of what we’ve achieved. To beat Widnes three times, a massive club, and to beat Bradford twice for the first time in 50 years.

“We’ve set ourselves some real massive goals this year and we’ve achieved them.”

MORE: “We can beat Leigh” – Brian McDermott continues belief despite Summer Bash thumping