Sent-off Tyson is charged

George Tyson.

GEORGE Tyson, sent off for fighting after the final hooter at the end of Oldham's Law Cup defeat by Rochdale, has been charged by the sport's Match Review Panel with grade D punching.

With his club chairman, Chris Hamilton, by his side, the 23-year-old centre will make a personal appearance in front of the RFL's independent Operational Rules Tribunal tomorrow to answer the charge.

As is club policy ahead of a disciplinary hearing, neither club nor player will comment for fear of prejudicing the outcome.

If pleading, or if found, guilty Tyson will face a likely suspension of three to five games and will miss the start of Oldham's KP Championship campaign which begins on Sunday with the visit of Sheffield Eagles to Bower Fold (3pm kick-off).

Paddy Jones, the Rochdale man who was also sent off, was not charged, the Panel concluding that sending off in his case was sufficient punishment.

Tyson's loss for the first few games would be a major blow for Roughyeds, who have also had injury worries during the pre-season build-up.

On a more positive note, Keiran Gill (21) and Tuoyo Egodo (19) will link up with Scott Naylor's squad this week, both on loan from Castleford Tigers.

They will be available for the Sheffield game on Sunday, having returned from the Tigers' warm-weather training camp in Lanzarote last Thursday.

On Friday night they played alongside each other as centres in a young Tigers side beaten 38-12 by Batley Bulldogs at the Fox's Biscuits Stadium. Gill scored a try to add to the eight he scored in 12 games for Oldham at the back end of last season.