Dewsbury Rams lose Jon Luke Kirby as Featherstone Rovers’ Ben Blackmore is hit with ban

DEWSBURY RAMS have suffered an injury blow to on-loan forward Jon Luke Kirby – and Featherstone Rovers will be without winger Ben Blackmore as he serves a 10-week suspension.
OUT: Jon Luke Kirby. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.comOUT: Jon Luke Kirby. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
OUT: Jon Luke Kirby. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

Kirby, a Huddersfield Giants player, impressed on his Rams debut against Swinton Lions two weeks ago, but will miss the rest of this season after suffering a second anterior cruciate ligament injury in less than a year.

“We thought we were struggling at prop a little bit so we brought Jon Luke Kirby in,” Rams coach Lee Greenwood said.

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“I thought he was pretty good against Swinton and then he has had a recurrence of his acl knee injury, so he’s out for a good nine months again now, which is a shame.

BANNED: Featherstone's Ben Blackmore is held by Jarrod O'Connor. 
Picture:  Bruce RollinsonBANNED: Featherstone's Ben Blackmore is held by Jarrod O'Connor. 
Picture:  Bruce Rollinson
BANNED: Featherstone's Ben Blackmore is held by Jarrod O'Connor. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

“Even the people we are bringing in to replace others are missing.”

Rams – who visit London Broncos tomorrow (3pm) – have also been hit by some departures, with Jimmy Beckett returning to Featherstone Rovers and Frazer Morris leaving the club because of family and work commitments.

Greenwood added: “We are doing it tough in certain positions.

“But we will do our best, certainly on Sunday.”

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Meanwhile, a disciplinary tribunal found Blackmore guilty of breaching three of the RFL’s operational rules and he was suspended for 10 weeks, beginning on May 24.

He was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, failing to observe codes of conduct and unacceptable language or behaviour following an allegedly racist Tweet aimed at Sheffield Eagles’ Rob Worrincy.

Commenting on an Eagles team picture, Blackmore wrote “Who’s the locked player?” – a term used in computer gaming where particular players have their identity/character hidden by them being silhouetted and their faces blacked.

During an investigation, Worrincy said the remark “made me feel a combination of emotions from anger, upset, let down and most of all disappointed by what had been posted.”

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Rovers visit Halifax Panthers in the Championship tomorrow, while Batley Bulldogs are at home to Swinton Lions (both 3pm).

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