Watson’s backing Brown after card
SALFORD head coach Ian Watson has defended Kevin Brown as Huddersfield’s Jordan Turner accused him of a headbutt during Friday night’s Super League clash.
Brown was sin-binned for a tackle on the Giants player in the dying minutes of the game at the AJ Bell Stadium, after which Aidan Sezer slotted home a penalty to secure a 12-10 win for the Yorkshire side.
But Turner has claimed the Red Devils halfback headbutted him deliberately.
He said: “I was the one in the tackle and I know what went on. He headbutted me on purpose, it’s not the first time he’s done it to me and to be honest with you I’m pretty fuming about it.
“With as tough as we play the game there’s absolutely no need for it.
“I was glad that the right call came. I’m not happy about it if I’m honest with you. My reaction was that I saw red and wanted to confront him.”
Red Devils head coach Watson admitted that the challenge didn’t look good, but doesn’t believe it was a deliberate headbutt.
He said: “Kev had his eyes on the floor and he was losing contact as he went to get his head in tight and he caught Jordan Turner flush.
“The match review panel will look at that, but Kev is not a dirty player who goes in head first.
“Someone said it was a headbutt but if it was then it would have been a dumb play by Kev.
“From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t look great but his eyes aren’t fixed on Turner – but on the back of that, (Giants’ Joe) Wardle has come flying in and retaliated.
“We had a player sent off for doing that last year and someone said you can’t run in and cause a melee but nothing happened to him.”
And Watson believes the Giants’ Darnell McIntosh should have been carded for seeming to strike Brown off the ball just before Salford scored one of their tries.
He added: “I think McIntosh has got something to answer for when he whacked Kev off the ball when we scored.
“I’m not being funny but Chris Satae from Hull was banned for three games (two games after appeal) for whiplash. Everyone is saying that whiplash is a big thing now and that you are not allowed to go in the back and whack them – but McIntosh was miles off when he hit Kev late so maybe he shouldn’t have been on the field at that time.
“If the cameras weren’t here certain decisions wouldn’t have been made. It is about fine margins and maybe having cameras at every game is the right way to go.”
Last season’s Grand Finalists Salford have now lost two of their opening three matches, and host Leeds on Saturday night, with the Rhinos going into the game having thrashed Hull KR 52-10 on Friday.
“There are areas we can improve on and we are going in the right direction,” said Watson.