Morgan Knowles banned following Super League Grand Final

The Rugby Football League’s match review panel have given St Helens forward Morgan Knowles a one-match ban following the Super League Grand Final.

The Super League Dream Team loose forward is likely to miss England’s World Cup warm-up match against Fiji at Salford on October 7.

The RFL’s MRP have given Knowles a one-match penalty notice for Grade A dangerous contact in Saints’ 24-12 win over Leeds at Old Trafford.

Knowles’ team-mate Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook has also been given a one-match suspension for Grade B contact with a match official. He will likely serve his suspension in a pre-season friendly in 2023.

More on Morgan Knowles

The build-up to the Grand Final was dominated by talk surrounding Knowles’ availability to play.

The former Wales international failed a challenge against a two-match penalty notice for Grade B dangerous contact in Saints’ win over Salford in the semi-finals. However, he was then cleared to play following a second appeal.

Assuming there is no appeal to Knowles’ ban this time, he will be suspended for their warm-up game against Fiji.

Knowles was unlikely to play in the warm-up game anyway. All players who featured in the Grand Final are unlikely to be considered by England boss Shaun Wane.

World Cup hosts England are in a group alongside Samoa, France and Greece.

In other ban-related news, John Bateman will miss England’s opening game against Samoa on October 15.

The Wigan forward was given a three-match ban for a high and late hit on Leeds’ Aidan Sezer. England Knights’ meeting with France B this Sunday will count as the first game. The Fiji warm-up will be his second and Samoa his third.

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