St Helens' Tommy Makinson facing potential EIGHT game ban for alleged genitals grab

ENGLAND winger Tommy Makinson could face up a ban of eight games or more after being ordered to face a tribunal for making “inappropriate contact” with Castleford Tigers’ Liam Watts.
St Helens' Tommy Makinson, top, jumps up to celebrate Theo Fages' try against Castleford Tigers yesterday. (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)St Helens' Tommy Makinson, top, jumps up to celebrate Theo Fages' try against Castleford Tigers yesterday. (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
St Helens' Tommy Makinson, top, jumps up to celebrate Theo Fages' try against Castleford Tigers yesterday. (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Prop Watts complained to referee James Child that the St Helens star had apparently grabbed his genitals during the first half of yesterday’s game.

The official put the incident on report and the match review panel today decided the 2018 Golden Boot winner has to answer a Grade F charge of ‘other contrary behaviour’ at tomorrow’s disciplinary panel.

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If found guilty, the starting point is an eight game suspension but the panel can go higher or lower at its discretion.

The match review panel issued nine charges in total with Castleford’s Grant Millington facing two from his side’s 10-0 defeat to Saints.

The Australian prop received a Grade A Dangerous Contact for a tackle on Theo Fages with zero match penalty notice but has been handed a one match penalty notice for the dangerous contact on Jonny Lomax that saw him sin-binned later in the game.

St Helens’ Matty Lees also received a Grade A Dangerous Contact with zero match penalty notice.

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Elsewhere, Ben Murdoch-Masila has received a two-match ban after the challenge on Matty English - that saw the Huddersfield Giants prop stretchered off in Saturday’s game - was rated a Grade C high tackle.

Grant Millington of Castleford Tigers is tackled by James Roby, Zeb Taia and Alex Walmsley of St Helens. (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)Grant Millington of Castleford Tigers is tackled by James Roby, Zeb Taia and Alex Walmsley of St Helens. (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)
Grant Millington of Castleford Tigers is tackled by James Roby, Zeb Taia and Alex Walmsley of St Helens. (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)

Murdoch-Masila was sin-binned in the game which Warrington won 19-18.

Warrington’s Blake Austin trip on Adam O’Brien was deemed a Grade A offence and came with a zero match penalty notice

Likewise, there was no further action for Leeds Rhinos captain Luke Gale after he was sin-binnef for a Grade A dangerous throw in their loss to Wigan.

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Wakefield Trinity centre Reece Lyne has been banned for two games for a Grade C dangerous contact against Catalans Dragons who saw prop Sam Moa receive the same punishment for a Grade C high tackle.

Both players miss this Saturday’s rematch between the sides as they head into Challenge Cup sixth round action as does Catalans Sam Tomkins, who was so influential in the 58-0 win.

He was banned for one match following a Grade A trip.

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