Revealed: Why Liam Watts was hit with longer ban than Franklin Pele

Castleford Tigers’ Liam Watts is set to miss his side’s next four matches, having failed to have his Grade E Head Contact charge downgraded at Tuesday night’s independent Operational Rules Tribunals in the latest twist in the Super League disciplinary saga which saw Hull FC star Franklin Pele only banned for three games.  

This was hugely was hugely controversial and had Castleford Tigers fans furious as the Hull FC man avoided a longer term ban.

Watts pleaded guilty to contact with the head of an opponent during Saturday’s Betfred Super League match against Wigan Warriors and the tribunal decided that the original Match Review Panel grading should stand. Tigers’ teammate Charbel Tasipale, however, saw his head contact charge downgraded from C to B and is free to play this weekend. The players are fined £750 and £250 respectively.

Catalans Dragons’ duo Michael McIlorum and Paul Seguier are banned for four matches and one match respectively following independent Operational Rules Tribunals this evening.

McIlorum was unsuccessful in challenging a charge of Grade E Head Contact during Saturday’s Betfred Super League match against Warrington Wolves. Seguier, however, saw his Grade D Head Contact charge downgraded to C on appeal. He is fined £250, whilst McIlorum is fined £750.

Hull FC star only gets three games after Liam Watts was slapped with four

Later on Tuesday night, Hull FC confirmed that their two players who appeared at the tribunal had received their charges.

Franklin Pele was red carded and charged with Grade E head contact and Ligi Sao was red carded after an incident with Matt Parcell which yielded a Garde D offence.

Despite the fact that Pele was found guilty of a Grade E head contact which was believed to have carried a minimum charge of four games, he was only been banned for three. He has also been fined £750.

However, Robert Hicks has confirmed on X that the new rules have changed the number of games Grade E comes with to 3-5 games.

Hicks also explained that the reason Pele avoided a ban was because “he didn’t land a punch.” Of course, Watts made contact with the head and copped a four game ban.