Trio handed bans by RFL after Magic Weekend brawl

Three players sent off in the Wigan-St Helens derby were last night handed bans totalling six matches.

St Helens forward Shaun Magennis was handed the stiffest penalty, a three-game ban and £300 fine, for his part in the brawl that marred the final match of the Magic Weekend programme in Manchester last Sunday.

Wigan forward Gareth Hock received a two-match suspension and a £300 fine while team-mate Chris Tuson was given a one-match ban and £300 fine. They will both miss the Warriors’ clash with reigning champions Leeds on Friday.

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Hock will also miss the Warriors’ trip to Montpellier the following week to play third-placed Catalan Dragons but will be free to make his England comeback, if selected, against the Exiles at Langtree Park on Saturday, June 16.

All three players, who were shown red cards by referee Ben Thaler after a second-half scrum erupted in a flare-up, appeared in front of a Rugby Football League disciplinary panel in Leeds last night.

A third Wigan forward, Lee Mossop, accepted a one-match ban after being cited by the RFL’s match-review panel for his part in the fighting.

It means that, with Paul Prescott and Harrison Hansen injured, Wigan will be without five first-choice forwards for the trip to Headingley and are poised to give a debut to Welshman Rhodri Lloyd.

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Meanwhile, Huddersfield Rhinos captain Kevin Brown will miss the chance to play against his new club after accepting a one-match ban.

Brown, who will join Widnes on a four-year deal from 2013, will sit out Sunday’s game at the Stobart Stadium as a result of a high tackle on prop Adam Sidlow during the Giants’ 38-34 defeat by Salford on Sunday.

Widnes captain Jon Clarke will also miss Sunday’s game after admitting a dangerous throw on Warrington centre Matty Blythe during his side’s 68-4 defeat by the Wolves in Manchester.

Hull FC have completed the signing of Castleford’s highly-rated centre Joe Arundel on a four-year deal from 2013.

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The Black and Whites have followed up the capture of England back row Gareth Ellis by snaring the 20-year-old England Knights player, who rejected a new contract offer from the Tigers.

“We believe we’re bringing in an extremely talented player with all the attributes to be one of the best centres in the competition,” said Hull coach Peter Gentle.

Arundel, who is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, has scored 16 tries in 44 senior appearances since making his debut for Castleford as a 16-year-old in 2008.

Castleford are thought to have lined up two centre replacements in Hull KR’s Jake Webster and St Helens’ England international Michael Shenton, who left the Probiz Coliseum 18 months ago.