Leeds Rhinos forward Ferres could be banned for up to eight games
LEEDS RHINOS' England forward Brett Ferres could be banned for between four and eight matches when he appears before the Rugby Football League's disciplinary panel tomorrow.
Ferres has been charged with making dangerous contact on Wigan’s Oliver Gildart during Rhinos’ 26-18 win at Headingley last Friday.
The second-rower, who has played only three game for Leeds this year after recovering from a long-term groin injury, was sin-binned by referee Ben Thaler.
He was issued with the grade E charge – the second most serious level under the RFL’s disciplinary system – after the incident was studied by the sport’s match review panel.
Rhinos prop Brad Singleton has served half of a six-match suspension imposed for striking Catalans Dragons’ Greg Bird with an elbow in a game last month.
That was also a grade E charge and was the most serious punishment handed to a Leeds player since David Cruickshank was banned for eight games in 1990.
Wigan coach Shaun Wane said Gildart suffered a “serious back “injury” and will be out of action for two to three months.
In a Tweet after the game, Ferres said he “would never intentionally want to hurt a player” and revealed he had apologised to Gildart following the incident.