Super League Disciplinary: Seven players charged including controversial ban for Wigan Warriors star

Round Eleven of Super League has concluded, which means teams will be anticipating the Match Review Panel’s verdicts in Super League disciplinary once again.

Last week, five players were charged, with Catalans duo Ben Garcia and Julien Bousquet receiving fines alongside Jake Trueman and Peta Hiku.

Andy Ackers’ curious ‘other contrary behaviour’ charge will result in no further action but could cause problems further down the line for any further charges.

This week, we saw three yellow cards and two red cards handed out, meaning further action was always likely.

St Helens’ Tommy Makinson was sent off for a shoulder-to-the-head of Tex Hoy, while Wigan Warriors’ Liam Byrne, also punished for a high shot, was given a yellow card.

Also sent off was Liam Horne of Castleford Tigers for a dangerous tackle, which referee Jack Smith said put the opponent in a “really, really dangerous position”.

One of the other yellow cards handed out was to Esan Marsters, whose trip late in Huddersfield’s defeat did little to change the humbling result. Meanwhile, Jordan Lane, whose Hull FC side lost to previously winless London Broncos, was the final man to be cautioned by the referee after a late hit.

That wasn’t the only incident in that game though with Chris Kendall putting an incident on report in which he revealed “inappropriate words” were used, meaning a player from that game could be looking at a lengthy ban akin to Josh McGuire of Warrington Wolves last season.

Below are the full list of charges and those who will join the list of players who have been handed bans this season.

Super League Disciplinary: Major players handed bans

The biggest losers out of the Match Review Panel’s decisions this week are Wigan Warriors, who will lose Liam Byrne for two games for a Grade C Head Contact charge.

The Ireland international misses two, rather than one, due to being at the higher end of the sanction grade due to previous charges this season.

Therefore, he will miss the Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull KR this weekend, despite Matt Peet saying that he was confident he’d be available for selection.

Although Byrne’s shot was deemed worthy of just a yellow on the field, and Tommy Makinson got given a red card, the Saints winger’s Grade C Head Contact charge only rules him out of a single game.

Elsewhere, Liam Horne, sent off for Castleford Tigers, will miss one game due to a Grade C Dangerous Throw/Lift charge.

Huddersfield Giants’ Ashton Golding and London Broncos’ Will Lovell’s Grade B Head Contact charges have only been punished with a £250 fine.

Also being handed £250 fines are Hull FC’s Jordan Lane, for Grade B Dangerous Contact, and Huddersfield’s Esan Marsters for Grade B ‘Other Contrary Behaviour’ after he was told to leave the field for a trip late on against Wigan.

Herman Ese’ese of Hull FC has been cited for verbal abuse, and the RFL are investigating further.

Player	Club	Charge	Grade	Sanction
Liam Byrne	Wigan Warriors	Head Contact	C	2 Match Penalty Notice (Higher end of the Sanction Grade)
Ashton Golding	Huddersfield Giants	Head Contact	B	£250 Fine
Esan Marsters	Huddersfield Giants	Other Contrary Behaviour	B	£250 Fine
Will Lovell	London Broncos	Head Contact	B	£250 Fine
Jordan Lane	Hull FC	Dangerous Contact	B	£250 Fine
Tommy Makinson	St Helens	Head Contact	C	1 Match Penalty Notice
Liam Horne	Castleford Tigers	Dangerous Throw/Lift	C	1 Match Penalty Notice