A total of 10 Super League players have been charged this week
Jack Hughes in action for Leigh Leopards
Leigh Leopards will be without Jack Hughes for the next three weeks following the Match Review Panel’s decision to hang him a lengthy ban.
Hughes was on the winning team on Sunday afternoon as Leigh beat Bradford Bulls with relative ease, but the forward won’t play again until after Magic Weekend now after being handed a Grade E charge.
He has been punished with making unnecessary contact with a player who is or could be injured. The charge comes with 18 penalty points and a three-game ban attached to it.
Leigh have the opportunity to appeal the decision and they will be mulling that over now. However, given Harry Smith and Lachie Miller have been handed the same charge this season, there is precedent.
If the ban is upheld then, Leigh will be without Hughes for this week’s trip to Hull KR, while he will also miss the trip to Toulouse and Magic.
A total of 10 players have been charged across the league this week with Riley Dean being hit with the next most severe punishment. The Bradford man has been given a Grade C striking charge and that comes with five points, which is enough to avoid a suspension for now.
Edwin Ipape collects three points for Grade B dangerous contact, while York Knights duo Toa Mata’afa and Kung Vuniyayawa have collected Grade B charges for striking and a dangerous throw/lift respectively.
Ben Currie, Matt Whitley, Joe Shorrocks, Tyler Dupree and Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet have all been handed Grade A charges that come with a single point.
Match review panel verdict
- Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves) – Grade A head contact – Penalty points: 1 Total penalty points in 12 months: 2 – No further action
- Matt Whitley (St Helens) – Grade A striking – Penalty points: 1 Total penalty points in 12 months: 2 – No further action
- Joe Shorrocks (St Helens) – Grade A late contact on passer – Penalty points: 1 Total penalty points in 12 months: 5.5 – Fine
- Tyler Dupree (Castleford Tigers) – Grade A contrary behaviour – Penalty points: 1 Total penalty points in 12 months: 1.75 – No further action
- Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet (Catalans Dragons) – Grade A late contact on passer – Penalty points: 1 Total penalty points in 12 months: 1 – No further action
- Toa Mata’afa (York Knights) – Grade B striking – Penalty points: 3 Total penalty points in 12 months: 3 – Fine
- King Vuniyayawa (York Knights) – Grade B dangerous throw/lift – Penalty points: 3 Total penalty points in 12 months: 4.5 – Fine
- Jack Hughes (Leigh Leopards) – Grade E unnecessary contact with an injured player – Penalty points: 18 Total penalty points in 12 months: 18.5 -Three match suspension
- Riley Dean (Bradford Bulls) – Grade C striking – Penalty points: 5 Total penalty points in 12 months: 5.25 – Fine
- Edwin Ipape (Leigh Leopards) – Grade B dangerous contact – Penalty points: 3 Total penalty points in 12 months: 3.5 – Fine.