‘Tank’ guilty of ref rage

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SALFORD’S Justin Carney has been banned for two games for pushing a referee.

Carney pleaded not guilty to making contact with official James Child during the Red Devils’ 30-20 win at Huddersfield last week.

Coach Ian Watson and chief executive Ian Blease attended the hearing to support the player known as the ‘Tank on the Flank’.

But Carney, a regular visitor to disciplinary hearings since moving from the NRL in 2013, was found guilty.

The 28-year-old former Castleford favourite will miss Salford’s trip to Leeds on Friday and a home clash with Warrington on March 4. He was also fined £300.

Carney was cited after video replays showed him putting his left forearm into Child’s chest.

Spirit

The Yorkshire official was involved in another incident during the same game which has led to Head of Match Officials Steve Ganson revisiting the rule book. Child correctly gave Salford a penalty after Josh Jones appeared to deliberately throw the ball at Danny Brough to catch the Giants star offside.

Ganson has told refs to view future incidents as misconduct and penalise players for acting against the spirit of the game.

Meanwhile, new Leeds hooker Matt Parcell is becoming a Headingley favourite after just two games and is in the running for the title of brainiest Rhino.

The Aussie, 24, a qualified civil engineer, said: “Dad has a building company back home and when I was younger I used to work with him during the holidays.

“But I’d see the engineer come on site, stand about, tell everyone else what to do and then leave. So, I quite liked that idea.

“Going forward, I would think about doing a commerce degree and possibly getting into banking when I retire.”