Pauli Pauli banned for York Knights' clash with Doncaster

The destructive forward, who swapped the Knights for the newly promoted Dons during the off-season, has been handed a one-match ban for a Grade B Dangerous Contact during Saturday’s 18-8 victory against Swinton Lions.

Pauli’s incident was at the higher end of the grade – rendering him unavailable for his side’s visit to the LNER Community Stadium next Sunday.

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That will likely come as welcome news to the Knights, with the prop scoring twice as they were defeated 36-20 on the opening weekend of the Betfred Championship season back in March.

However, a lot has changed since then, most notably the appointment of former Wakefield Trinity boss Mark Applegarth, with Doncaster just one point above York heading into this weekend’s fixtures.

Pauli is not the only former Knights forward to have been handed a ban by the Match Review Panel this week, for Franklin Pele has received his own one-match suspension for the same charge during Bradford Bulls’ win at last-placed Dewsbury Rams.

The former NRL star, who spent two weeks in North Yorkshire on loan from Betfred Super League strugglers Hull FC before joining the Bulls on a six-month deal ahead of a prospective Super League move in 2025, was also sin-binned on debut for his new club.

Former Knights loanee Franklin Pele has been handed a one-match ban. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

Featherstone Rovers have seen three players charged following their defeat in Toulouse - their fifth in a row - as pressure continues to mount on former Knights boss James Ford.

Half-back Dec Patton, who only made his debut for the club against York two weeks ago, faces at least a six-match suspension after a Grade F Head Contact charge, whilst forwards Danny Addy and Gadwin Springer have both received one-match bans for Grade C Dangerous Contact charges.

There are also two charges for the Knights’ dual registration partners Newcastle Thunder, with Tyler Hepple and Evan Lawther penalised for Grade C Dangerous Contact offences, leaving them sidelined for a match apiece.