Wigan Warriors given verdict after appealing Willie Isa ban

Wigan Warriors’ Willie Isa will miss Good Friday’s Betfred Super League Rivals Round derby against St Helens after losing his appeal against a one-match suspension.

An independent tribunal today upheld a Match Review Panel decision to impose the suspension for a Grade B dangerous contact with a Leigh Leopards opponent during last Friday’s game.

Toulouse Olympique’s Lambert Balmas has been suspended for seven matches, following an investigation and tribunal hearing into an alleged Grade F attack to the testicles of a Bradford Bulls player during the 25 February Betfred Championship match at Odsal.

The following players accepted Match Review Panel decisions.

Kaide Ellis, Wigan Warriors – Dangerous contact, Grade B – £250 fine
Matty English, Huddersfield Giants – Dangerous contact, Grade A – No sanction
Brad O’Neill, Wigan Warriors – Dangerous contact, Grade B – 1 match
Brad O’Neill, Wigan Warriors – Dangerous contact, Grade A – No sanction
Jake Wardle, Wigan Warriors – Dangerous contact, Grade B – £250 fine

Wigan had four players charged, but why?

Here is what the Match Review Panel Minutes have to say on each matter:

Kaide Ellis:

Dangerous Contact – A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has
been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head,
neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to
that player.

Willie Isa:

Dangerous Contact – A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has
been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head,
neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to
that player.

Brad O’Neill:

Dangerous Contact – Defender uses any part of their body forcefully to twist, bend or otherwise apply pressure to the limb or limbs of an opposing player in a way that involves an unacceptable risk of injury to that player

Brad O’Neill:

Dangerous Contact – Defender uses any part of their body forcefully to twist, bend or
otherwise apply pressure to the limb or limbs of an opposing player in a way that involves
an unacceptable risk of injury to that player

Jake Wardle:

Dangerous Contact – A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has
been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head,
neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to
that player

From this it is easy to see why Brad O’Neill avoided a ban given his offences were less about head and spinal injuries and more about danger to limbs.

However, differentiating the three and why one was banned but the other two weren’t is more difficult.

Interestingly, Wardle was the only one in the game shown a yellow card yet Isa is the one banned.

It is also another reminder of the RFL’s move towards more fines than bans.