Super League legend slams Morgan Knowles red card

A wonderful Challenge Cup tie ended with a touch of controversy last night.

It was the perfect night for Halifax Panthers as they got to host Super League and World Champions St Helens.

The Panthers produced a dogged display against the Saints but were out matched.

Saints demonstrated their class with five tries before a late Halifax Panthers try gave them a deserved try against the Super League and World Champions after a brilliant effort.

Then, in the last minute of the game with the score being done and dusted Morgan Knowles, on his return from a five game ban, went high, hard and late on Inman for a sending off. It was an unnecessary act but was a perfect example of how Knowles plays on the edge. The unnecessary nature of it given how late it was saw a 26 man pile in with tempers raised to end the game.

Knowles hasn’t had much luck in 2023 with suspensions. Many felt his five match ban was harsh especially as the panel removed the fixed penalty notice to slap him with a longer ban than a Grade D charge carries due to Wigan Warriors prop Mike Cooper’s injury from the tackle.

But if we strip back the context and look at the facts, Knowles’ recent record doesn’t make for good reading.

Now former Hull FC, Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity star Paul Cooke has slammed Knowles.

He questioned the loose-forward’s decision making and said he let his team down.

He said on social media:

“What is Morgan Knowles thinking? The decision to at pace, aggressively, knowing it’s a littler man make such a contact knowing the game is won, after just coming off a 5 game ban and with minutes left to me shows his rugby league intelligence. Let’s his team down for weeks again.”