Warrington Wolves forward Sam Powell has been suspended for three matches following a high tackle during the Magic Weekend event on July 4. Powell was penalized for a hip drop tackle on Leigh Leopards winger Tesi Niu in a game that ended with Warrington suffering a 24-6 defeat.

The ban was confirmed by the Rugby Football League disciplinary panel after reviewing the incident. Powell’s tackle was deemed dangerous, leading to the multi-game suspension.

Warrington head coach Sam Burgess expressed confusion over the decision, noting inconsistencies in recent officiating. “We had a similar tackle and no sin bin, so I wonder if the rules changed in the week?” Burgess said, highlighting a perception that recent interpretations of tackle regulations may have shifted.

In a related matter, Wigan Warriors player Oliver Partington was cleared of any sanctions following a challenge on St Helens’ Owen Dagnall during the same weekend. The disciplinary body found that Partington’s hit did not warrant further punishment.

The ruling on Powell marks a significant disciplinary development ahead of Warrington’s upcoming fixtures, with the team set to compete without one of their key forwards for the next three games. The decision also shines a spotlight on the evolving enforcement of tackle rules within the league, which has generated some debate among coaches and players.