JACK Welsby, Saints and their supporters were relieved to see the player not pick up a ban for his head-on tackle on Salford stand off Chris Atkin.
The tackle, which was waved play on by the referee on the day and initially deemed a great tackle, has been subject of a heated debate since.
Social media pundits and opposing fans lobbied for the tackle to be punished with a ban, given it had left the Salford half with a a bloodied face.
Saints fans and rugby league purists lauded a perfectly timed tackle by the candidate for the Steve Prescott Man of Steel and Super League Young Player of the Year.
The Match Review Panel looking at saw mitigation in the execution of the tackle and on sentecing it stated: "Law 15.1 (b), High tackle – careless – ball carrier dips, Grade A."
The 0-Match sanction created some confusion among some quarters, but the explanation is laid out by the RFL in the relevant section of the onfield compliance procedures and sentencing guidelines.
That states:
"3.2.2.
"If a Player has not: a) been Found Guilty of two or more On Field Misconduct Offences in the previous 24 months, including at least one offence in the previous 12 months prior to the date on which the Offence attracting the Penalty Notice was committed;
and
"b) has not been Found Guilty of a Similar Offence at Grade C or above in the previous 24 months to the date on which the Offence attracting the Penalty Notice was committed; the Player will receive a Penalty Notice sanction which will be at the lower end of the Grade of the Offence with which the Player is charged.
"Therefore, for a Grade A Offence the Penalty Notice will specify a zero (0) Match suspension."
Welsby's has only been guilty of one charge - a late hit against Huddersfield's Theo Fages in July - during that 24 month timeframe, hence the reason he is free to play.
Share