· Herman Ese’Ese (Hull FC) – Grade D Head Contact – 2 Match Penalty Notice & £250 Fine

· Jayden Okunbor (Hull FC) – Grade B Dangerous Contact – £250 Fine

· Franklin Pele (Hull FC) – Grade E Head Contact – Refer to Tribunal

· Ligi Sao (Hull FC) – Grade D Other Contrary Behaviour – 3 Match Penalty Notice & £250 Fine

Pele's Grade E charge carries a ban of four to six matches.

So we will be without Ese’ese for 2 games, Ligi is out for 3 games and Pele on. Grade E referred to tribunal.

Yet again think the punishments are very harsh for the club. Moore made it clear it was low end force and why he only gave a yellow yet Cullen sees it as worthy of a 2 game ban, so does that mean that Moore & Kendall will be dealt with for a poor only issuing Yellow. Ligi getting 3 games is an absolute joke too
If that’s how’s the MRP are viewing things I can only see Pele getting a hefty ban of 8 games as he’ll be hit with the swinging arm and then fit the punch.

The game is getting killed off by the MRP and it will be the death of the sport.

No doubt we won’t bother appealing as usual as Smith will come out with his usual ‘ it is what it is’ line.
Really do feel the MRP is an absolute joke and to go for a grade D when the on field ref and video ref deemed it a low force and only worthy of a sin bin.


No surprise in that Harry Smith gets no ban whatsoever.

Very harsh on Ligi, Pele is probably a bonus I thought he might have got an F so 4/5 wouldn’t be too bad. Can’t see us winning either of the next two.

They seem excessive, especially the Sao one.
If that is the precedent then let's see if they're consistent, won't hold my breath though.

The biggest nonsense of the whole thing though is that the most dangerous incident of the lot, Harry Smiths tip tackle, gets away without a ban.

I don't understand how Brierley got grade C head contact and only 1 match ban but Herman got grade D and 2 matches. They were pretty identical tackles.
Inconsistencies already showing and that's what really pisses fans off.
Harry Smith not getting even a single game is just an absolute joke

I wonder if the fact that Wigan play the WCC this weekend had any influence on their thinking?
I have a suspicion it probably did in an effort to give Wigan every opportunity to score a victory for SL over the NRL big boys.
Smith's tackle was worthy of a ban in almost any week last year, let alone under the new guidance!

Is round 1 the earliest we've ever written off a season? Normally we win our first few

To be fair I’d written it off long before that

The Sao ban feels excessive, the rest of the Hull ones probably about right for me. Re Harry Smith there was significant mitigation caused by Luke Hooley ducking his head but I wouldn't have an issue with a 1-2 game ban. I've always felt though that domestic bans should apply in domestic competitions so if Smith had received a ban it should apply to Super League games. Just as with George Williams getting banned for two test matches last year, it would be a crazy example of the sport shooting itself in the foot in a time when English sides are well up against it when facing Southern Hemisphere opposition.