Wigan Warriors, St Helens and Castleford Tigers players suspended by Match Review Panel

Wigan Warriors prop Liam Byrne is one of three players to be handed suspensions by the RFL’s Match Review Panel – ruling him out of this weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Byrne will miss Saturday’s tie with Hull KR after being given a two-match ban for a Grade C Head Contact charge, following an incident during the Warriors’ win over Huddersfield Giants on Saturday.

It means, unless the Warriors succeed with any possible appeal, Byrne will miss their biggest match of the season so far.

St Helens winger Tommy Makinson was also charged with Grade C Head Contact, and he was given a one-match ban – due to being at the lower end of the sanction grading – following an incident in the Saints’ win over Castleford.

The Tigers’ Liam Horne has also been banned for one match for a Grade C Dangerous Throw/Lift during that game.

Four more players were fined £250 but not suspended: Huddersfield duo Ashton Golding and Esan Marsters, London captain Will Lovell and Hull FC forward Jordan Lane.

All clubs have until Tuesday to decide whether or not to appeal their suspensions – and all eyes in particular will be on Wigan to see whether they decide to fight the Byrne incident.

Wigan coach Matt Peet said in the aftermath of their win on Saturday that he expected Byrne to avoid a suspension.

“If he misses out from today, I don’t think he will be the only one because I thought there were similar contacts,” he said.

“I’m not saying it was the wrong decision. But I can’t see consistency across one high tackle to the next. But I expect him to be fine.”

However, Peet’s optimism proved to be unfounded, with Byrne handed a two-game ban that rules him out of this weekend’s semi-finals.