Wigan forward Willie Isa handed four-match ban
Wigan coach Adrian Lam said the club will consider appealing after Willie Isa and John Bateman were both handed bans by the Rugby Football League.
Forward Isa has been given a four-game suspension for separate incidents – he was also sin-binned – in Friday night’s highly-charged 26-2 Super League defeat to rivals St Helens.
Fellow second row Bateman has been given a one-match penalty notice after he was handed two yellow cards at the DW Stadium.
St Helens forward James Bentley, also sent to the sin-bin after clashing with Batemen, will also serve a one-game ban.
Lam said: “It’s not ideal that we’ve got two players in this position this week. These little indiscretions keep popping up and it’s not good enough.
“I’m trying to promote the fact that we need to be disciplined. We need to keep our heads and coolness.
“There was a lot of emotion last weekend and that has to be taken into consideration when making these decisions.
“We’ll have a look at that in depth and see if there’s a case for us to challenge.”
Wigan pair Isa and Bateman are set to miss Wednesday’s home Super League clash against another arch-rival, Leeds Rhinos, with the former unlikely to feature again before the final Super League game of the season.
Isa was given a one-match penalty notice for using his shoulder on Jack Welsby against St Helens and a three-match ban for striking with his forearm in a high tackle on Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, for which he was sin-binned.
Bateman’s one-game ban is for “foul and abusive language” after he was sin-binned for a second time in the defeat to St Helens.
Lam indicated the club would take a closer look into Bateman’s ban, but admitted he was more disappointed in the fact that it was for dissent.
“Yes, absolutely,” Lam said. “But we’ll have to have a look at that. The decision, I think we’re going to fight, but we need to take in a little more detail before we make a decision.
“I’ve had a few players suspended over the season, which has been unfortunate for us considering the injuries we’ve had on top. It’s an area we’re working hard on.”
