Leeds Rhinos captain Cameron Smith sees ban appeal verdict delivered

Leeds Rhinos captain Cameron Smith has successfully appealed his one-match ban, and will be free to face Warrington Wolves at Headingley on Friday night.

The Rhinos skipper picked up the one-match ban following their Rivals Round win at Castleford Tigers, with the clip of the incident which earned him the suspension gaining plenty of traction on social media.

Immediately after a kick downfield, Smith made minimal contact with Cas half-back Danny Richardson – who had put boot to ball – during the second half of that West Yorkshire derby.

In Monday’s release, the Match Review Panel – much to the surprise of most who have seen that clip – deemed it worthy of a Grade B Dangerous Contact charge, but upon appeal, has seen the charge downgraded.

Accordingly, he will still have to pay a £250 fine, but having been given a grade A rather than B, the charge no longer carries a suspension.

Leeds Rhinos captain Cameron Smith sees appeal verdict delivered as forward escapes ban

The 25-year-old will be free to face Warrington, with the Rhinos tonight posting the following on X: “Cameron Smith has successfully appealed the grading of his charge by the Match Review Panel.

“It has been downgraded from Grade B to Grade A, which carries a £250 fine, but he will be free to lead the team on Friday against Warrington Wolves at AMT Headingley.”

Earlier tonight, it was confirmed that Wigan Warriors duo Liam Byrne & Tyler Dupree will be suspended for the next four and one game(s) respectively.

Ireland international Byrne’s lengthy ban comes following a guilty plea to his Grade E Head Contact charge, sent off in the second half of their defeat to bitter rivals St Helens on Good Friday following a high shot on Mark Percival.

Team-mate Dupree meanwhile was unsuccessful in his appeal against the one-match ban handed to him following that defeat at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

He escaped any further punishment for the incident which saw him sin-binned in the first half of the Rivals Round clash, but has copped a suspension for a separate incident in the same game and will miss their trip across the borough to Leigh Leopards on Thursday night.

Saints ace Matty Lees had already accepted a two-game suspension handed to him following their win against Wigan, while Warrington Wolves prop Paul Vaughan also rejected the option to appeal against the two-match ban which he was hit with for what was deemed a Dangerous Throw in defeat against Catalans Dragons.

Accordingly, both of those two know they will be sitting out of their side’s next two fixtures.