Former Super League and NRL ace Jorge Taufua learns fate after biting charge
Jorge Taufua during his Wakefield days - Alamy
Bradford Bulls winger Jorge Taufua has seen his biting charge downgraded from Grade F to E this evening upon review, but will miss the remainder of the Championship season.
The former Wakefield Trinity man was alleged to have bitten Barrow Raiders captain Jarrad Stack in the first half of a Monday night game at Odsal which was shown live on ViaPlay. He was shown an instant red card at the time.
Barrow went on to win the game, with Taufua – pleading his innocence – handed over to the Match Review Panel, initially having a meeting which was scheduled for last week pushed back to tonight.
Backed by interim head coach Lee Greenwood and the club, who listened to audio from the match officials and watched the footage back, Taufua was confident of getting the case dismissed entirely.
Despite a slight success in the downgrade of the charge, the Bulls will still be without one of their key men in the run in.
Jorge Taufua learns fate after biting charge
In a very short statement on their club website, Bradford this evening confirmed the outcome of their winger’s tribunal.
The Canberra-born 31-year-old, who spent over a decade in his homeland with Manly Sea Eagles, will only be eligible again this season if Bradford are able to make the play-offs.
Their statement read: ‘Bradford Bulls can confirm Jorge Taufua has been handed a six match ban (Grade E downgraded from Grade F) following tonight’s tribunal.
CEO Jason Hirst said:- “The club are naturally disappointed at tonight’s outcome. We won’t be making any further comment at this stage.” ‘
Other Bradford news
The Bulls are a hotbed of news in the Championship at the moment, as we enter the business end of the season.
Under the interim guidance of former Dewsbury Rams boss Greenwood, they look likely to make the play-offs in 2023, but regardless will be taken over by current Catalans Dragons assistant Eamon O’Carroll from next year.
In recent weeks, both Jordan Baldwinson and Jordan Lilley have extended their stays with the Yorkshire outfit. The latter, who will remain with the Bulls until the end of 2025, went as far as saying he wouldn’t have signed on had the club not held ambitions to get back to Super League sooner rather than later.