Lewis and Pangai Jr have been dropped ahead of their upcoming bans
Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis has a two-game suspension to serve(Image: SW Pix)
Willie Peters has moved to explain why he took the decision to drop both Mikey Lewis and Tevita Pangai Jr from his Hull KR squad this weekend.
The pair were handed bans by the Match Review Panel on Thursday following their actions in Tuesday’s clash with Warrington Wolves at Craven Park.
Lewis was given a two-game ban for catching Ewan Irwin with his boot while trying to charge down a kick. Pangai Jr, on the other hand, was handed a four-match suspension for three separate late contact on passer charges, with his previous counting against him.
Neither man is suspended for Saturday’s game, though, with the bans not coming into effect until round 25. However, they have both been left out of Peters’ 21-man squad, with the head coach sending a stern message.
“It’s noted that we’re the most-charged team in the competition in terms of disciplinary points and have had the most players sitting on the sideline,” Peters said.
“Some players have done some dumb things without consequence. If you don’t have consequences, you keep repeating those actions.
“We’ve made a decision that it’s not acceptable to be sitting on the sideline, costing team-mates through behaviours that are not in line with our standards.
“There are times where it’s not deliberate or there’s no malice but when there are repeated efforts, we’ve made a decision not to play those two this week. It’s more around our standards – what we’re going to accept and what we’re not going to accept.
“It will hopefully help us this year and, more importantly, the club going forward next year that there’s a standard we want to uphold and if you’re not upholding that, no matter who you are, there needs to be a consequence.”
Despite the above, Peters hasn’t ruled out the possibility of appealing the bans in order to try and reduce the amount of the time the pair are set to spend on the sidelines.
“We’ve looked at it and it’s with our panel at the moment, we’ll decide what we do whether we look to downgrade it or accept it,” Peters added. “That’s in the process at the moment.”
Pangai Jr won’t be eligible to play again this season until the second week of the play-offs if KR get there and even then it remains to be seen if he would be considered after missing 10 games through suspension over the second half the season.
Lewis will be eligible to return in round 27 against St Helens though and Peters insists there is a way back for the stand-off this year.
“We’re a better team with Mikey Lewis in it,” Peters added. “We’ve shown that over the years.
“He’s our marquee man and highest-paid player. A lot of responsibility comes with that.
“I felt that Mikey had a lot of positive actions for the majority of the game. He had a strong impact in the way he defended.
“But there are certain things he needs to improve and he’s aware of that. We’re certainly supportive of Mikey and want to help improve him in certain areas of his game.
“As I said, we’re a better team with Mikey Lewis in it – when he’s in line with the standards everyone wants to uphold.
“I’m sure he’ll certainly feature at the back end of the year, but all I’m worried about is tomorrow.”