Menzie Yere of Sheffield Eagles will miss Grand Final of Co-operative Championship
Papua New Guinea international, Menzie Yere of Sheffield Eagles will sit outside the Co-operative Championship Grand Final against Featherstone, on Sunday, in face of a ban imposed by Rugby Football League (RFL) disciplinary committee.
The player is facing disciplinary action after being found guilty for a dangerous throw on Stuart Donlan of Leigh Centurions, during Eagles’ impressive 20-10 win over Centurios.
According to the match review panel, the throw is categorised as a grade C offence along with a penalty fine of £50.
The disciplinary action is seen as a major blow to Eagles, who are hoping to clinch the Grand Final this year, for which, Yere’s inclusion in the squad was very important, being the top-try scorer for bagging 20 tries so far, the running season.
Yere has been a frequent visitor at the disciplinary committee. Prior to the recent ban, the player also received a two-match ban, which saw him miss out on Eagles’ important play-off against Widnes Viking, which was staged on Friday, September 9. This clash
was a must-win, for the Eagles to keep their Grand Final win alive.
During the play-off, Yere was found guilty of making a dangerous contact with a head slam tackle on Jon Hepworth in the final minute of the game against Featherstone Rovers last month. The dangerous tackle according to the RFL disciplinary committee has
been categorised as the Grade B offence. For the grade B offence on Hepworth, the guilty was charged with £50 along with a suspension from two successive matches.
Yere’s offence was forwarded to the disciplinary committee by the referee after the match and the victim of the dangerous tackle had to be treated for the attack during the concluding minutes of the clash.
Realising the importance of missing out on their key player, Eagles’ coach, Mark Aston was not happy with the RFL disciplinary action taken against Eagles.
Aston admitted that the disciplinary action is too harsh on the player and the entire team, which is ambitioning for a Grand Final glory this year.
While speaking about the unkind stroke of action against the player, Aston stated, “I’m very disappointed. I would question that this was a ‘head shot’ or a dangerous tackle. The first contact was with the shoulder and then the arm went up. We need Menzie
but he won’t be in the team unless we make the semi-final.”
While sharing his thoughts about the ban imposed on the Eagles’ top-try scorer, Yere also admitted the degree of punishment for the offence was way too cruel.
The alleged player said that in his view, he did not believe that he has been treated fairly with the two –match ban imposed on him, at this stage of the campaign. What aggravates the situation further, is another ban that rules the player out of the final
showdown.
Tags: