St Helens star Tommy Makinson learns ban fate after red card v Hull KR

St Helens star Tommy Makinson has learned his fate after a controversial red card against Hull KR on Saturday and the veteran winger has copped a three-game ban.

Makinson saw red in the dying moments of the game when Saints were already trailing 36-6 but they would go on to concede an eighth and final try after his red card to lose 42-6.

It marked the second time this season that the St Helens star has been shown red and it saw a continuation of ill-discipline from the club’s senior players.

Captain Jonny Lomax had only just returned to face Hull KR after his three-game ban and now Paul Wellens finds himself without another senior player for three of the final four fixtures of the season.

Should St Helens miss the playoffs, which is becoming a possibility, then it would mean that Makinson will only play one more game in a St Helens shirt in what would be a sad end to his time at the club given that he will depart to France and play for Catalans from 2025.

What was St Helens star banned for?

Makinson’s red card had split opinion among fans with arguments that there was little force, whilst others claimed there could be no contention given the poor technique.

Referee Chris Kendall told him: “You’re bolt upright, it’s shoulder direct to head and there is no mitigation.”

The Match Review Panel have now had their say and deemed it worthy of a Grade D charge for ‘Head Contact’ with that charge carrying a three-game ban and a £250 fine.

This means that St Helens will be without Makinson for games against the Huddersfield Giants, Warrington Wolves, and Castleford Tigers, but he will be available for the final game of the year against Leigh Leopards.

Sadly for Makinson, it means he won’t play in front of the St Helens faithful and earn a deserved send-off, with his last game at The Totally Wicked Stadium being Saturday’s dismal defeat that ended in the winger being sent off himself.

That is unless St Helens decide to appeal the decision which they could do given how desperate they are to make the playoffs, something that they have done in every single Super League season and is now under threat with Leigh and Leeds just one and two points behind respectively.

If Saints don’t appeal and that was the final home game for Makinson, it would bring an end to a 14-year spell in which he made 334 appearances.