Wigan Warriors’ Liam Byrne discovers fate with tribunal verdict delivered

Wigan Warriors forward Liam Byrne has been handed a four-match ban for the high tackle which led to his red card in their Good Friday defeat at St Helens.

The Ireland international was dismissed by referee Chris Kendall with circa 18 minutes of the Rivals Round clash remaining at the Totally Wicked Stadium having caught Mark Percival with a high shot, and was hit with a Grade E head contact charge.

Prop Byrne has pleaded guilty to that charge at tonight’s tribunal, and been hit with a four-game ban accordingly as well as a £750 fine.

In addition to this Thursday’s trip across the borough to Leigh Leopards, he will now miss Wigan’s Super League clashes against Castleford Tigers & Hull KR as well as their Challenge Cup quarter-final tie against Castleford next week.

Wigan Warriors forward Liam Byrne discovers fate with tribunal verdict delivered following Good Friday defeat at St Helens

The RFL’s announcement this evening read as follows: “In the first of a number of cases scheduled for the independent Operational Rules Tribunal on April 2, the Wigan Warriors forward Liam Byrne pleaded guilty to a Grade E Head Contact charge for which he was dismissed in the Betfred Super League fixture at St Helens on Good Friday.

“Byrne has been suspended for four matches, and fined £750.”

The outcome of team-mate Tyler Dupree’s appeal against his one-match ban is still to be confirmed in addition to the appeal of Leeds Rhinos captain Cameron Smith, who was also given a one-game ban after their Rivals Round victory at Castleford.

Saints ace Matty Lees 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.

Dupree however could yet be free to play against Leigh on Thursday night, while Smith may be free to feature against Warrington at Headingley 24 hours later. In both of those cases, it all depends on the verdict of tonight’s appeals however.