Tuesday 15 July 2014 22:31, UK
Salford forward Gareth Hock has been banned for seven matches for deliberately making physical contact with the referee.
That will rule Hock out for the remainder of the regular season, meaning the 30-year-old will only feature again if 12th-placed Salford climb into the play-off places.
The second rower was also fined £300 by an independent disciplinary panel meeting at the RFL’s headquarters in Leeds.
Hock was chasing a kick during the first half of Saturday's Super League game with Hull when he knocked referee Matt Thomason to the ground.
The player claimed the collision was accidental but the panel disagreed and found him guilty of the grade E offence, which carries a suspension of between four and eight matches.
Salford have accepted the ban, with owner Marwan Koukash announcing on his Twitter account that there would be no appeal.
"Not going to waste time and money on appealing," he said. "Hope our players make sure that Hock plays again this season. Let's move on."
Meanwhile, Catalan Dragons’ French internationals Vincent Duport and Gregory Mounis were handed bans as a result of offences committed during their 37-16 home defeat by Wigan.
Centre Duport was given a three-match suspension and fined £300 after admitting making dangerous contact with England winger Josh Charnley.
Loose forward Mounis was handed a two-match ban and also fined £300 after he pleaded guilty to a dangerous throw on Warriors’ second rower John Bateman.
