Super League disciplinary has been a common talking point week to week as the season unfurls.
The latest round of Super League disciplinary came after the Challenge Cup Round Six as eight teams, including four Super League sides, were dumped out of the Challenge Cup.
Following a terrific round of action, 10 players were charged and five of them were from Super League clubs.
This came as five players from the Championship were charged including three Featherstone Rovers players and players from Halifax Panthers and Sheffield Eagles.
Among the five Super League players charge there were two from the Castleford Tigers but the only ban went to St Helens in the shape of James Bell.
Bell has been one of the best performers in Super League this season producing terrific ball playing performance down the middle of the field for St Helens.
Thus, he would be a tremendous loss for their Good Friday derby against the Wigan Warriors after he was charged with Grade B dangerous contact.
He was banned for one game after the clash with Leeds Rhinos in the Challenge Cup and St Helens elected to appeal the suspension.
The Saints headed to appeal alongside two tribunals from the Championship over Grade E Charges. Meanwhile, the appeal for John Asiata’s Grade A charge against St Helens in Round Three was also set to be heard tonight after weeks of waiting for that particular Super League Disciplinary saga to end after being postponed a number of weeks.
Super League disciplinary appeal
Credit Imago Images
In the appeal, St Helens failed with the Super League disciplinary charge and ban being upheld.
The RFL stated: “The independent Operational Rules Tribunal has upheld a Grade B Dangerous Contact charge issued to James Bell of St Helens by the Match Review Panel following an incident in the Betfred Challenge Cup Sixth Round tie at Leeds.
“St Helens’ challenge to the grading was unsuccessful, so Bell’s one-match suspension stands, with St Helens also losing their £500 bond.”
This means he will indeed miss the game against Wigan Warriors on Good Friday as the two Grand Final favourites collide in the traditional Super League derby.
