St Helens' Morgan Knowles is out of the Grand Final after being banned - and England team-mate John Bateman could miss the entire World Cup for the same reason.
Loose forward Knowles has copped a two-match penalty notice from the match review panel for a ‘chicken wing’ style challenge on Salford’s Chris Atkin. That means he misses Saturday’s Super League decider against Leeds although his club has said they will appeal.
But Wigan’s Bateman faces a much longer suspension which could even threaten the second-row’s involvement in the World Cup next month.
He’s been charged with a Grade D striking offence following a reckless high tackle on Leeds’ Aidan Sezer in Friday’s semi-final. Bateman was sent off and must now answer the charge at Tuesday’s tribunal where he faces a suspension of three to five games.
He was a certainty for the England squad but coach Shaun Wane might now face a difficult decision if the ex-Canberra star receives a hefty ban for the illegal challenge which left Sezer missing the Grand Final due to concussion.
Bateman could serve one game in England’s friendly against Fiji but that is their only warm-up before the tournament kicks off against Samoa.
There was better news for St Helens half-back Jack Welsby who might also have feared being forced to sit out the biggest night of the Super League season. But he was given a Grade A zero match penalty notice for a careless high tackle also on Atkin.
The panel deemed the ball carrier dipped before contact and Welsby’s good disciplinary record also helped him avoid a suspension.
