Leeds Rhinos news: Match review panel verdicts announced ahead of Grand Final against St Helens

The RFL’s match review panel took no action against any Leeds players over incidents in last Friday’s semi-final win at Wigan Warriors, but Saints had two charged and one cautioned from their defeat of Salford Red Devils.

Saints’ appeal against a two-match penalty notice issued to forward Morgan Knowles after he was accused of grade B dangerous contact will be heard by a tribunal on Tuesday. Knowles was sin-binned following the incident during last Saturday’s tie.

Teammate Jack Welsby was charged with a grade A high tackle, but received a zero-match penalty notice.

It is his second grade A offence this season, following a dangerous contact charge in July, but his clean record over the previous 24 months made him eligible for the zero-match penalty on both occasions.

The Grand Final will see Rhinos welcome back second-rower Rhyse Martin who missed two matches after being charged with a grade A high tackle in the final round of the league season, earlier this month.

Martin’s ban was doubled, from one game to two, after Leeds’ appeal was deemed frivolous. He also served a one-match ban in August, following his second charge inside 12 months.

Though the circumstances seem similar, both players having two grade A charges for identical offences this term, Martin’s record of at least two earlier incidents of misconduct within the previous 24 months meant - unlike Welsby - he was not eligible for a zero-game notice on either occasion.

Saints hooker James Roby received a caution for dangerous contact, but also escaped a ban for the final.

Wigan forward John Bateman, who was sent-off for a high tackle which has ruled Leeds’ Aidan Sezer out of the title decider, was charged with grade D striking and will face a hearing on Tuesday.

Other charges issued by the panel were: Danny Kirmond (York City Knights, grade B dangerous contact) - one-match penalty notice; Joel Farrell (Sheffield Eagles, grade B dangerous contact) - two-matches; Brandon Douglas (Sheffield Eagles, grade A disputes decision) - zero matches; Keelan Foster (Doncaster, grade B dangerous contact) - one match.