St Helens ponder shock Jackson Hastings appeal after punching red card

St Helens have asked the RFL for an extension on their ability to appeal the charge handed to Jackson Hastings following his red card for punching last week.

The halfback was dismissed in the first half of their win over Castleford Tigers after he was deemed to have punched forward Tyler Dupree after the pair came together in the final minutes before the break.

As a result, Hastings was handed a Grade E charge carrying 16 penalty points, which took him into the threshold for a three-match suspension. As a consequence, he was sit to miss out the final three games of the Super League season, potentially bringing a premature end to his St Helens career given he is off-contract at the end of the season and the club still outsiders to reach the top six.

However, Love Rugby League has now been informed that Saints are weighing up an appeal after asking the governing body for an extension on their ability to appeal the charge. It’s understood that the club has yet to make a final decision on whether they will launch an appeal but they are currently assessing the possibility of an appeal.

That process will likely involve them trying to find new footage that could aid their defence. Saints would be expected to provide a strong challenge for a tribunal to overturn the initial charge. If Saints are unsuccessful in their appeal, Hastings would be handed an extra five disciplinary points which would actually extend his suspension by an additional match. That would mean if Saints made the play-offs, he would miss their first game in the series too.

It is expected that if Saints do now decide to appeal, his case would not be heard until next Tuesday, meaning he will still miss Friday’s clash with Leeds Rhinos.

For now Saints will consider their options while uncertainty continues to surround the player’s future. He has yet to sign a contract extension with the club with no decision yet to be made.

Speaking on Tuesday, interim coach Eamon O’Carroll said: “I’m not sure. Obviously I’m not involved in those conversations due to my situation (leaving the club) and I’ll be moving on – so it’s one for Jackson and the people above me.”