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Wigan Warriors’ Sam Powell and Hull FC’s Brad Fash learn their fate at RFL Tribunal

A meeting of the Operational Rules Tribunal has dismissed an allegation of biting against Brad Fash of Hull FC in the Betfred Super League fixture against Hull KR on Good Friday, due to insufficient evidence.

An excerpt from the verdict of the Tribunal, chaired by His Honour Judge Roger Thomas QC, is published below.

The ORT found Sam Powell of Wigan Warriors guilty of a Grade E offence of Dangerous Contact in their Betfred Super League fixture at St Helens, also on Good Friday. Powell has been suspended for six matches and fined £500.

Brad Fash verdict:

“Each of the two players here – Elliot Minchella and Brad Fash – gave fair and credible evidence. Neither one of them could be said to be untruthful. Elliot Minchella felt that he had been bitten and that was a genuine reaction to the coming together of his hand and Brad Fash’s face. Brad Fash’s evidence that he did not, nor would he, bite Elliot Minchella or any other player was also very credible. Further, it is very difficult to see what motivation Brad Fash would have had to bite in the unremarkable circumstances of this particular tackle.

“In these circumstances the Tribunal is not satisfied to the relatively high standard of proof that is required to secure a conviction for this sort of serious allegation. There is no evidence of a bite injury and the film footage does not show an actual bite, although it suggests a coming together of Elliot Minchella’s hand and Brad Fash’s mouth.”

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