Three Super League players suspended including Leeds Rhinos duo as decision made on Nu Brown red card

Leeds Rhinos duo James Donaldson and Sam Lisone are among three players who have been handed suspensions by the match review panel: but Nu Brown will face no further action following his controversial red card.

Brown was sent off during Hull’s defeat to Warrington Wolves on Friday night after clashing heads with Ben Currie. It was a decision was sparked outrage, confusion and frustration among Super League supporters following the off-season tightening of the rules surrounding head contact.

But Brown has been told he will face no further action. The minutes of the match review panel detail that Brown made ‘legitimate initial contact’ and as the tackle develops, Currie is spun around which causes the head-on-head contact. Essentially, the RFL have admitted they made a mistake in sending Brown off – with Robert Hicks admitting the game put the on-field officials in an ‘invidious position’.

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However, three players have been banned – with Brown’s Hull FC team-mate Liam Sutcliffe among them. Sutcliffe made contact with match official Marcus Griffiths during that game and has been handed a two-match ban.

Leeds Rhinos duo James Donaldson and Sam Lisone are the other two players to receive suspensions. Donaldson has been banned for two games after the tackle on Hull KR’s Oliver Gildart that earned him a yellow card during their defeat to the Robins.

Lisone has been banned for three games after a Grade D charge of head contact, after a tackle on Hull KR captain Elliot Minchella in the same game. The full list of players charged are:

• James Donaldson (Leeds Rhinos) – Grade D head contact: 2 match ban
• Sam Lisone (Leeds Rhinos) – Grade D head contact: 3 match ban
• Jack Brown (Hull FC) – late contact on passer: £250 fine
• Nu Brown (Hull FC) – head contact: no further action
• Harvey Baron (Hull FC) – late contact on passer: £250 fine
• Will Gardiner (Hull FC) – late contact on passer: £250 fine
• Liam Sutcliffe (Hull FC) – Grade D contact with match official: 2 match ban

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