Thursday 14 July 2016 17:31, UK
Wakefield coach Chris Chester has said the RFL's disciplinary process is turning the game into "a laughing stock".
Chester made the comments as he revealed forward Chris Annakin will miss the rest of the season after picking up an injury in a reckless tackle from Wigan's Sean O'Loughlin on Friday.
England captain O'Loughlin was shown a red card for the challenge and subsequently handed a one-week ban after his impeccable record was taken into account.
Chester was left fuming after learning Annakin had been ruled out for almost three months, calling the disciplinary system "a joke".
"There's no consistency whatsoever with the disciplinary system," Chester told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "It's a joke. Farcical. I get on well with 'Lockers' and this is not a pop at him or the Wigan club.
"But I've now lost a player for 12 weeks due to a knee injury sustained in his high tackle.
"At the start of the season, the RFL spoke about being able to go outside of the MRP gradings when a player is injured as a result of an illegal challenge.
"They've gone outside it here but actually gone the other way, reduced it and given O'Loughlin a one-game ban. We've had no one from the RFL on the phone asking for a medical report, seeing if Chris Annakin's jaw's been broken or even just asking how he is.
"The decision-making processes around the disciplinary are just wrong and they have to change as the game is becoming a laughing stock."
Chester's side need to win one of their remaining two games in order to secure a place in the Super 8s at the end of the regular season.
In the first of those games Wakefield face the Dragons this Saturday, live on Sky Sports 3 from 5pm.
