St Helens will appeal the one-match ban handed to prop forward Matty Lees with the Red Vee set to head to an RFL Operational Rules Tribunal tonight to challenge the grading.
Lees was handed a one-match ban for a Grade B charge of ‘Making contact with a match official’ after the England international charged in following a tackle and bumped into referee Chris Kendall.
There was no on-field punishment for the incident but yesterday’s Match Review Panel handed down the charge meaning Lees would miss the upcoming game against Castleford Tigers.
St Helens have now decided to challenge the grading in the hope of lowering it to a Grade A charge and just a ban, meaning Lees would be available for the Red Vee’s final home game of the season.
Only recently, St Helens were successful in challenging the grading of winger Tommy Makinson’s ban, seeing his punishment drop from a three-match ban to a two-match ban. In turn, he is now available for their clash with Castleford Tigers.
Was St Helens’ forward unlucky to be banned?
Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
For St Helens to challenge, they must think that they have a case at successfully overturning the charge. Moreover, they could be without Alex Walmsley who picked up a knee injury in the loss to Warrington meaning if Lees is banned they might be without two starting props.
Lees had been sin binned earlier in the game on Saturday for his late shot on Josh Drinkwater, an incident that ignited the ‘milking penalties’ debate. The Match Review Panel held the view that the contact was soft and therefore took no further action.
However, the decision to hand down a ban for the contact with Chris Kendall was a very unpopular one among St Helens fans who took to social media to vent their frustrations.
Sharing footage of the incident, one account posted on X: “A match ban for this. The RFL need to hang their heads in shame at what they’re doing to this sport.”
Commenting on Serious About Rugby League’s Facebook page, others were unhappy with the decision.
Tony Oneale said: “Killing the game.”
Peter Dawson added: “We are a honest game let’s not be like football a game full of play actors.”
Despite protest from many fans, former Super League official Richard Silverwood had the definitive say.
Taking to social media, he argued: “Rubbish. What’s Lees running over for? Kendall arrives first. Referee has blown for a penalty. Nothing to do with Lees. Simple, don’t run in!”
A match ban for this. @TheRFL need to hang their heads in shame at what they’re doing to this sport. pic.twitter.com/JSQSwFT9iP
— Sodden_Yorkshire (@SoddenYorkshire) September 9, 2024
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