Morgan Knowles: St Helens back-rower free to play in Grand Final after winning second appeal
- Published
A second tribunal decided Knowles' actions "could not have posed an 'unacceptable risk of injury'"
Betfred Super League Grand Final: St Helens v Leeds Rhinos |
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Venue: Old Trafford Date: Saturday, 24 September Kick-off: 18:00 BST |
Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Leeds & BBC Sounds, live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app; highlights at 22:50 BST on BBC One |
St Helens back-rower Morgan Knowles is free to play in Saturday's Super League Grand Final after winning a second appeal against a two-match suspension.
The 25-year-old England international lost his initial appeal against the ban for "dangerous contact".
It followed an incident with Salford's Chris Atkin in Saturday's play-off semi-final victory, after which he was sin-binned by referee Chris Kendall.
But Saints launched a second appeal on Wednesday which proved successful.
They claimed the original conclusion by a Rugby Football League tribunal was "unreasonable" based on the evidence presented.
A tribunal sitting on Wednesday evening accepted that while there was some twisting by Knowles to apply pressure to the limb of an opposing player, this "did not exceed the normal range of movement" and therefore "could not have posed an 'unacceptable risk of injury'".
The RFL will publish the full minutes of the hearing on Thursday.
St Helens face Leeds Rhinos in the Grand Final at Old Trafford, having won the League Leaders' Shield for ending the regular season top of the table.
Knowles' Saints team-mates James Roby and Jack Welsby also avoided bans following the match review panel's assessment.
Captain Roby received a caution for a 'dangerous contact' offence, while Welsby's Grade A 'high tackle' charge was given a "careless" rather than "reckless" grading and he is free to figure on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Wigan's John Bateman has been given a three-game ban for a Grade D high tackle against Leeds on Friday.
As domestic suspensions count in internationals, the England back-rower could miss at least one match of the Rugby League World Cup starting on 15 October.
Bateman's suspension came in at the lower end of the three-to-five game tariff.