St Helens will appeal the Match Review Panel's decision to charge Morgan Knowles after the England forward was given a two-match ban. Knowles, a standout performer for both club and country, looks set to miss the Super League Grand Final after receiving a two-match suspension following a tackle on Chris Atkin during Saints' semi-final victory over Salford Red Devils.
Knowles was sin-binned after a tackle on Atkin, in which he pulled at the arm of the Salford player. He has subsequently been handed a Grade B dangerous contact charge which is set to see him the Grand Final showpiece at Old Trafford. But Saints have already decided to appeal the charge and the hearing will take place on Tuesday evening.
He is the only player to receive a suspension ahead of the Grand Final, with Leeds Rhinos receiving no bans leading into the clash at the Theatre of Dreams. Jack Welsby has been charged for a high tackle but it has been given as Grade A and a zero match ban. Grade A charges can result in a zero or one-match suspension but Welsby has received the lower sanction due to his previous record. Guidelines state a player will only receive the higher sanction if they have been found guilty of two or more offences in the previous 24 months. Welsby has only been found guilty of one offence in that period.
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Saints' appeal could have implications on England. If Knowles' case is deemed frivolous, he will have a game extended to his ban which would see him miss the opening group fixture in the World Cup against Samoa. But it would also be a huge blow for the champions, who are chasing an unprecedented fourth consecutive title. Knowles has been a standout performer over a number of years and has been named in four consecutive Super League Dream Teams.
And in a further blow to England, John Bateman is facing a lengthy ban after receiving a Grade D charge for the tackle that saw him sent off in Wigan Warriors' defeat against the Rhinos. Bateman was dismissed for a late and high tackle on Aidan Sezer which has resulted in the halfback being ruled out of the Grand Final.
Given the severity of the charge, Bateman could receive anything between three and five matches. If he is found guilty, he will miss at least a part of England's World Cup campaign. If he receives the maximum punishment, he will not be available until the semi-finals.
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