Today marks the last Super League disciplinary verdict of the year but it’s one of the most important with Hull KR and Wigan Warriors players hoping to avoid bans that will rule them out of the upcoming Ashes series.
Any ban picked up will carry over to a player’s next game and for some of the Super League Grand Finalists, their next game will be the first Ashes Test against Australia and the disciplinary panel have proven previously they don’t mind upholding the law ahead of big games.
England captain George Williams was handed a one-match ban ahead of the 2023 series against Tonga which was then doubled after a failed appeal, meaning the skipper missed two of the three Tests.
Hull KR and Wigan Warriors are expected to have a handful of players in the Ashes squad, which Shaun Wane will confirm at midday before then addressing the media, and at least two Ashes hopefuls will be fearful of today’s Super League disciplinary verdict.
Hull KR and Wigan Warriors men sweating Super League disciplinary
Those two men are actually competing for the same position with Wigan’s Brad O’Neill and Hull KR’s Jez Litten likely anxious ahead of today’s Match Review Panel, and for differing reasons.
For O’Neill, there’s an obvious reason and that’s the tip tackle he made on Tyrone May which saw the Hull KR playmaker come very close to landing directly on his head and neck. It was an out of control tackle and one that was deservingly punished with a yellow card but further punishment from the disciplinary panel could result in a ban.
O’Neill currently has just one point on his record and six is the point at which bans are first handed out, however, a Grade C charge carries five points and it’s very feasible that tackle could warrant a Grade C or even Grade D charge.
On the other hand, Jez Litten is on the edge of that disciplinary threshold with 5.5 penalty points meaning even a Grade A charge would see him banned and whilst nothing memorable happened in terms of foul play regarding Litten, charges can often be missed in game and then handed down by the Match Review Panel.
Another man who does look set for a ban but will not care is Jared Waerea-Hargreaves with the retiring Kiwi one charge away from a two-match ban and after conceding two penalties for a shoulder charge and a high shot, whilst also being involved in a melee, it seems certain that he’ll cop a ban in what is a fitting end to a legendary career.
Any players who receive bans but are not playing internationally will serve their bans in pre-season with the RFL permitting up to two games to be served. Should a player land a three-match ban, then their third match would be served in a competitive match, even if their respective club had three pre-season games.
Serious About Rugby League has launched a brand new podcast which can be watched in full on our YouTube channel here.
