Ex-Hull FC star among two players hit with huge bans after tribunal

Former Hull FC man Jamie Shaul has been hit with a lengthy suspension after being found guilty of a Grade E punching charge.

The Goole Vikings full-back was charged after the club’s clash with Workington Town on May 25 and has since stood in front of an operational rules tribunal this week. Shaul pleaded guilty to ‘lashing out’ but not punching at the tribunal but he has still been handed a considerable ban.

Shaul will miss Goole’s next six games through suspension, ensuring he will miss a huge chunk of remainder of the season. In fact, Goole only have nine games left to play in League One and that means he will only return for the final three games of the campaign.

As such, Shaul can expect to return to action on August 24 when Goole head to North Wales Crusaders. Shaul has also been fined £75 with the offence carrying a total of 36 penalty points.

Goole have struggled for traction this season in League One, winning just two of their first nine league games. They sit eighth in the league table as a result, above Newcastle Thunder and Keighley Cougars, who are the only two teams Scott Taylor’s side have beaten.

They’ll be hoping to build some traction over the second half of the season then, but Shaul’s absence will make that task harder to say the least. Shaul came out of retirement at the start of the year to join Goole, a year after leaving Hull FC.

Whitehaven man suspended for seven games

The tribunal has also handed Cameron Brown a seven match suspension following a Grade E other contrary behaviour charge. The Whitehaven man lifted an injured player in a game against Midlands Hurricanes on May 25 and he pleaded guilty to that offence.

As such, he will now miss most of Whitehaven’s second half of the season and although the club are in seventh, they are only two points off the top four, which is the cut off for the Super Eights.

They’ll be looking to build a head of steam over the second half of the season then and compete with the likes of Swinton Lions, Rochdale Hornets, Dewsbury Rams and Workington Town or the opportunity to play for promotion to the Championship.