League 1 club lodge complaint with RFL over disciplinary process after ex-Hull star’s ban

League 1 side Goole Vikings have lodged a formal complaint with the Rugby Football League after consulting with lawyers over the suspension handed out to former Hull FC fullback Jamie Shaul.

Shaul was suspended for six matches earlier this month after receiving a straight red card for his part in a brawl during the Vikings’ game with Workington Town in Cumbria.

He was subsequently charged with Grade E Striking and banned for six games, as well as being handed a 36-point penalty: the biggest under the new disciplinary system so far.

But Love Rugby League has been told that the Vikings have now sought legal advice but were told to wait until the result of Catalans captain Ben Garcia’s charge for the same charge of Grade E Striking.

Garcia was only banned for four games for the same charge on Tuesday evening after entering a tribunal with legal presentation, and Goole have now written to the RFL with a formal complaint that challenges aspects of the disciplinary process and its finer details.

Goole are keen to know why Shaul was handed such a lengthy suspension having never previously received a ban throughout his entire career prior to the incident against Workington, whereas Garcia was banned for a shorter period of time.

Shaul also suffered a broken nose from the incident which led to the brawl, which the Vikings argue is a contributory factor to what happened next.

There is also a suggestion from the Vikings that Shaul’s ban of six games is harsh because it accounts for a greater portion of the League 1 season, due to there being fewer games played in the third tier. He will miss 30 per cent of Goole’s league fixtures as a result of the suspension.

The Vikings and the RFL have been approached for comment.

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