Wigan Warriors handed double suspension blow as Peta Hiku acquittal explained
Wigan Warriors duo Kaide Ellis and Sam Walters are the only two players to receive suspensions following this weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-finals.
The duo have been given one-match bans each following respective Grade B charges during the Warriors‘ victory against Hull KR at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon.
Ellis has been handed a Grade B Dangerous Contact charge, and with his charge coming at the higher end of the grading, it means the forward will miss this weekend’s fixture away at Salford Red Devils on Sunday afternoon.
Walters will also miss that game pending any appeal, after being given a one-match ban for a Grade B Head Contact charge. Like Ellis, Walters’ charge was at the higher end of the grading. It means after making his long-awaited debut for the club on Saturday, Walters will now miss this weekend’s trip to Salford too.
The only other player charged was another Wigan player, Luke Thompson. The prop was charged with Grade B Dangerous Contact but only received a £250 fine. Thompson is therefore available to play for the Warriors this weekend.
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Perhaps the most anticipated disciplinary case from the weekend though related to Hull KR’s Peta Hiku. Footage which emerged online appeared to show Hiku making contact with the head of Wigan’s Jai Field during a collision in the final minutes of Rovers’ defeat on Saturday.
However, the match review panel have cleared Hiku and not charged him following the incident. In summing up the incident, they said: “Player drops on opponent but does not contact the head”.
Huddersfield’s Jake Connor was cited for two incidents following the Giants’ defeat to Warrington Wolves on Sunday, but he also escaped any charges.
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