The problem with send offs is they often wreck a game as a spectacle, but the player is seen in the cold light of day to not have really done anything worse than 10 others that week.
The Douglas send off vs Manly was a classic example (though the game wasn't "wrecked": the Sharks still outplayed Manly with 12 and were unlucky with further calls to not win).
That tackle from Williams was one of the most reckless you will see, and was dangerous. But it wasn't intentional. So the referees are not keen to send off in those situations, and when they have they have usually been criticized. No send off is usually a safer decision for them.
The issue we all recognize when our team is on the receiving end of a play like this, is that the caution about send offs doesn't help your team. In fact, by weakening an opponent it can help other teams and if the team is good and the player is good (like Manly and Williams) then that in fact weakens your team position relative to other teams (like in this case for the Sharks- a weaker Manly for a few weeks is probably bad for the Sharks).
I think a dangerous play sin bin needs to be introduced, even if it is only 5 minutes, and the video referee can spend that time deciding if the player should come back into the game. If not, the player can be replaced after the sin binning but can not themselves play again that game.
Referees can still send a player off to not be replaced for intentional, dangerous foul play so that players have some protection, particularly in sudden death matches. Players in Origin matches and finals otherwise seem to be at greater risk of foul play as not as much seems to be done about it in those matches (because the referees really don't want to wreck those games as spectacles).
On the T Rex tackle, I reckon grade 4, about 4 weeks was right, but the loading has taken this to ott levels. The problem is that loading is a % when it should just be a set amount extra on offenses- otherwise loading is not that much for subsequent small offenses and can account for many weeks for worse offenses. I don't think a 1 week border line head high shot (like Pritchards' for example) should cost you 3 - 4 weeks extra when you commit a higher grade foul- that should be judged on its own merits. Give loading, but make it commensurate with the foul play done to get the loading, not with the later foul play (i.e. Grade 1 gets 50 points loading, Grade 2 gets 100 points etc or some such).
I'd be filthy that he wasn't sent.
