Super League duo banned as Warrington Wolves pair benefit from pre-season head contact amnesty amid new tackle laws

Huddersfield Giants’ Luke Yates & Salford Red Devils’ King Vuniyayawa have both been hit with bans by the Match Review Panel, but Warrington Wolves duo Connor Wrench & Brad Dwyer have escaped further punishment thanks to a pre-season amnesty on head contact.

Wrench & Dwyer‘s head contact offences from their defeat against Leigh Leopards in Joe Philbin’s testimonial were graded D & B respectively, and in season would have resulted in bans. Both players were sin-binned on the night.

But as part of the amnesty announced by the RFL ahead of the start of pre-season, they will be free to play come their opening game of the Super League season against Catalans Dragons.

Yates‘ offence however, in a friendly against Castleford Tigers, was a ‘Dangerous Throw/Lift’ which has been given grade D, and carries a three-game ban as well as a £250 fine.

The Giants man was sin-binned at the time, and due to the ability to appeal, bans won’t apply this weekend. They will only kick in come the start of the Super League season, so Yates will miss the first two games against Leigh Leopards & St Helens unless he is successful in an appeal.

Likewise, pending any appeal, Salford’s Vuniyayawa looks set to miss their first game of the campaign against Leeds Rhinos. He picked up a ‘Grade B Dangerous Contact’ charge in their heavy pre-season defeat at St Helens last Sunday.

Super League duo banned as Warrington Wolves pair benefit from pre-season head contact amnesty amid new tackle laws

Salford youngster Finley Yates also benefitted from the head contact amnesty, while the only other two match bans come for Championship players – Ronan Dixon (Dewsbury Rams) & Greg Minikin (Featherstone Rovers).

The full list of disciplinary action this week is below:

• Connor Wrench – Warrington Wolves (Grade D Head Contact) – No Sanction (Amnesty)
• Brad Dwyer – Warrington Wolves (Grade B Head Contact) – No Sanction (Amnesty)
• Finley Yates – Salford Red Devils (Grade C Head Contact) – No Sanction (Amnesty)
• King Vuniyayawa – Salford Red Devils (Grade B Dangerous Contact) – 1-match ban
• Greg Minikin – Featherstone Rovers (Grade D Dangerous Throw/Lift) – 2-match ban and £125 fine
• Luke Yates – Huddersfield Giants (Grade D Dangerous Throw/Lift) – 3-match ban and £250 fine
• Sam Smeaton – Doncaster (Grade B Head Contact) – £125 fine
• Evan Hodgson – Sheffield Eagles (Grade B Head Contact) – £125 fine
• Ronan Dixon – Dewsbury Rams (Grade C Dangerous Contact) – 1-match ban
• Ryan Johnston – Barrow Raiders (Grade B ‘Disputes Decision) – £125 fine

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