RFL come down hard on Galbraith

Photo: Max Flego

SAMMY GEE . . . suspended for one game

LEWIS Galbraith, the Rochdale Hornets centre, has been banned for EIGHT matches on a Rugby Football League charge of verbally abusing Oldham's Sammy Gee in the last minute of the Summer Bash derby clash at Blackpool on May 27.

Former Saddleworth Rangers youngster Galbraith pleaded not guilty to a grade 'F' charge of 'verbal abuse based on race/colour' but was found guilty by an independent Operational Rules Tribunal.

Gee admitted a grade 'C' charge of punching, but claimed mitigating circumstances and was banned for one match and fined £75.

APPEAL

Both players have seven days to appeal.

In a statement on the Rochdale Hornets website, Gee is said to have been represented at the hearing by a barrister on a striking charge that was part of the same incident as the one involving Galbraith.

Hornets chief executive Adam Bates said: "On paper this was a cut-and-dried case.

"Both Oldham and the RFL were unable to provide any independent evidence whatsoever to prove the alleged incident happened.

"The club stands by Lewis and we will fight tooth and nail to ensure justice is done."

Gee will miss Oldham's game with Featherstone Rovers at Bower Fold on Sunday (3pm), while Galbraith will be banned for all but two of Rochdale's remaining 10 games, one of which is against Oldham at Stalybridge on Sunday, July 23.

The derby rivals are almost certain to meet as well in the seven-match Shield competition, during August and September, which counts towards Championship points and final league positions.

Meanwhile, Adam Neal's broken jaw apart, Oldham RL Club's critical injury situation showed signs of improving when the walking wounded were assessed at last night's training get-together.

Danny Grimshaw (hamstring), Scott Turner (concussion), Danny Langtree (arm) and George Tyson (knee) were all expected to be "okay by weekend."

And there was a new kid on the block in 18-year-old Connor Williams, who signed last week from Salford Red Devils on a month's loan, but couldn't train last Thursday or Saturday because he was unwell.

"He's with us now and he'll be available for the Featherstone game," said coach Scott Naylor, who will have a hole in the threequarter line to plug because Sammy Gee will be working off a one-game suspension after his dismissal for punching in the Summer Bash derby with Rochdale Hornets.

It was initially felt that Langtree's arm injury might prove to be a pressing problem, but Naylor said: "It's not as bad as we first thought. He should be okay by weekend along with Grimshaw, Turner and Tyson.

"There's a slight possibility that Scott Leatherbarrow (ankle) and Jack Spencer (groin) might be ready too, but the probability is that it will be the Sheffield game on Sunday week for these two.

"With a bit of luck, Gareth Owen might also be ready by then. Scan results show that his foot injury is not as bad as we thought."

Richard Lepori (ankle) will have a scan tomorrow and Naylor hopes to have his results to hand by weekend.

Chairman Chris Hamilton will be Oldham's voice at a meeting of Championship clubs at Hunslet today to discuss various proposals for the reorganisation of the league.

"We'll be looking at strategy moving forward, including the structure of the competition," said the Roughyeds chief.

Super League are thought to be wanting a return to a 13-club or even a 14-club competition and Championship clubs want to know how that would affect them, especially in the distribution and allocation of Sky money.