Super League Disciplinary: Two players suspended by RFL Match Review Panel

Round Eight of the Super League gave us some fantastic action and huge results, and buried amongst all the excitement was Super League disciplinary drama once again.

The previous round saw a big five-game ban given to Sylvester Namo, after a tribunal downgraded the Castleford man’s Grade F Dangerous Contact charge to Grade E.

Catalans Dragons forward Bayley Sironen, despite originally being given Grade E Head Contact charge, had his charge dropped after the Operational Rules Tribunal’s decision that he was not guilty.

Super League Disciplinary: decisions reached

Catalans Dragons fans will feel aggrieved, as of the four sanctions given, three of them have gone to their players.

Hooker Michael McIlorum has been handed two separate sanctions – a Grade B trips and Grade B Dangerous Contact – both of which are at the higher end of the grade, receiving a 1 Match Penalty Notice for each.

Mike McMeeken has also been given a 1 Match Penalty Notice for Grade B Dangerous Contact.

Dangerous contact is defined as: “a defending player makes contact with an opponentafter the ball has been released by an opponent in a vulnerable positionwhich causes flexion to the head, neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to that player.”

Matty Storton, who was sin-binned for a high tackle on Catalans’ winger Tom Johnstone, was given a Grade B Dangerous Contact charge but escaped with a £250 fine.

No charges have been given for incidents in any of the other games, despite King Viniyayawa being sent off for a tip tackle on Marcus Stock in Salford’s win over London Broncos.

No further action was given, despite it being looked into as a dangerous throw, and the Match Review Panel gave the reason for its decision:

“Player lifts one leg of opponent and walks round with leg of opponent but never lifts above the hip. Opponent still has one leg on the ground. Opponent is being tackled in the upper body by two of player’s team mate and is twisted round and lands on his neck and shoulder. Player not solely responsible for the mechanics of the tackle and cannot be solely attributed to placing opponent in a dangerous position.”