Disappointment for Leeds Rhinos forward Matt Prior following appeal against two-match ban
There was bad news for Leeds Rhinos forward Matt Prior when he appealed against a two-match ban on Tuesday.
An operational rules tribunal upheld the two-game penalty notice issued by the RFL's match review.
The decision means Prior will miss Saturday's game at Toulouse Olympique and a home clash with Wigan Warriors the following Thursday.
Suspensions handed to Prior, Zane Tetevano, Tom Holroyd and Muizz Mustapha have left Rhinos with just one available specialist prop, Mikolaj Oledzki, in their full-time squad.
Prior was charged with grade B dangerous contact for an alleged late hit on Danny Richardson during Rhinos' Magic Weekend win over Castleford Tigers.
The Leeds man challenged the grading, but the tribunal found it to be correct.
However, Prior's appeal wasn't found to be 'frivolous' so there was no increase to the ban.
Rhinos' appeal against an extra-match ban issued to centre Harry Newman was put back 24 hours, because of the number of other hearings scheduled for Tuesday.
Newman received a two-game penalty notice for aggressive behaviour towards the referee in Leeds' defeat at St Helens last month and another game was added for a 'frivolous' appeal.
St Helens' Sione Mata'utia and Dean Hadley, of Hull KR, both had one-match suspensions overturned on appeal at Tuesday's hearing.