Disciplinary news: 3 Leeds Rhinos players charged by match review panel as decision made on St Helens man
Three Leeds Rhinos players have been charged by the RFL’s match review panel following the play-off defeat by St Helens.
James McDonnell and Harry Newman will face no further action after being charged with grade A dangerous contact and head contact respectively. Both players received one penalty point - their first of the season - which will remain on their record for 12 months.
Teammate Cooper Jenkins was handed three points for grade B head contact. That took his tally for the year to four and he was fined. Suspensions begin when a player reaches six penalty points. The panel minutes on Jenkins state: “No mitigation. Low level force. Arm is always going towards the head and the player does not lower his height to avoid contact with the head.”
No action was taken against Saints’ Curtis Sironen, who was penalised after appearing to drop a hand into McDonnell’s face in the second half. Explaining that decision, the panel minutes said: “Player pushes down on opponent after reaction to opponent’s actions.”
Wakefield Trinity’s Jay Pitts received his first penalty point of 2025 for late contact on a passer in the play-off lost at Leigh Leopards. He faces no further action.
An allegation of unacceptable language against Leigh’s Lachlan Lam has been passed on by the review panel for further investigation by RFL Compliance. The allegation was made by a Wakefield player during last Friday’s match, and included in the referee’s report.
Both clubs will be asked to make submissions, meaning any hearing would not take place until the week starting October 6 - five days before the Betfred Super League Grand Final - at the earliest. The RFL say that is “the same process as with previous instances of this type”. It means Lam will be available for Friday’s play-off semi-final against Wigan Warriors.