Super League disciplinary explainer after Hull KR star avoids multi-game ban amid red card and HIA confusion

Hull KR prop forward Sauaso Sue has only been handed a one-match ban after his red card against Wakefield Trinity, despite the starting charge for a Grade D offence being a two-match suspension.

Sue was one of two players to be sent off by Aaron Moore in what was a fiery encounter which Wakefield boss Daryl Powell suggested Moore had lost his cool within, as two other players also sin-binned.

Following the game, which Wakefield won at the death thanks to a Mason Lino converted try, all eyes turned to the Match Review Panel with fears that Sue could cop a Grade E charge and a ban of three games, or even more.

As it happened, the Hull KR forward was handed a Grade D charge, something that typically carries a two-match ban, yet he has only been banned for one match.

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Explainer: Why Hull KR forward was only handed a one-match ban

The reason why is because of a long-standing exemption rule that was implemented when the new penalty point disciplinary system was introduced ahead of the 2025 season. That rules states that if a player is sent off, then they have points deducted from their charge because they have already, in essence, missed game time as a result of their foul conduct.

Rules state that if a player is sent off in the first half of a game, then two penalty points are taken from their total, with just one deducted if they get sent off in the second half.

Because Sue was sent off in the 62nd minute, one point of the 12 that he was charged with is deducted, meaning he was actually handed an 11-point disciplinary charge. That’s just shy of the 12-point threshold of a two-match ban, meaning the prop will only miss this week’s game against York Knights through suspension.

That same one-point deduction was handed to Wakefield’s Matty Storton after he was sent off as his Grade C charge, typically worth five penalty points, was reduced to four.

More confusion around Sue’s charge was the commonly-held belief that the player he tackled to earn the red card, Tray Lolesio, had failed a head injury assessment. If that were the case then Sue would have had an extra three penalty points added to his charge, as is customary when foul play results in injury, but it’s since been confirmed to Serious About Rugby League that Lolesio did not fail a HIA.

As such, Sue had no further penalty points to answer and because of the fact he was sent off, he even managed to avoid a two-match ban.

The only other player to be banned after round 13 of Super League was Wakefield’s Jazz Tevaga, the loose forward copping a Grade B charge for late contact on the passer. Because of Tevaga’s previous penalty points, that three-point charge was enough to tip him past the threshold for a one-match ban meaning that he will miss out against Wigan Warriors on Friday night.

The Match Review Panel have issued Sauaso Sue with 11 disciplinary points for a Grade D charge of “Striking”.

This takes Jesse’s total points up to 11.25 and results in a one-match penalty notice and a fine. pic.twitter.com/YhXo6wTz7m

— Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) June 8, 2026