PUNCH & JURY
Dudson’s sorry but smacked with five-game ban
CATALANS star Tom Johnstone has revealed that Gil Dudson apologised for his “red mist” attack which saw the Warrington prop facing a five-match ban.
Fiery Dudson inexplicably punched Johnstone while the England winger was tackled on the ground during Saturday’s Super League thriller in Perpignan.
The forward, 32, was handed the hefty suspension by an RFL independent tribunal last night after pleading guilty to the Grade E offence.
Speaking before the hearing, Johnstone said: “It was a bit of a shock when it happened.
“I’d done absolutely nothing to him.
“But we had a chat outside the changing room afterwards. He was apologetic.
“He said how he thought I’d hit him and didn’t realise it was just an accidental clash when I was trying to get up.
“But you know what it’s like – it’s just one of those red mist moments and there’s no issues from me. Just a split eye.
“People asked if I was annoyed but it was just one of those things.
“When you play top-end rugby, things can happen in the heat of the moment.
“I certainly don’t hold any grudges.”
Dudson, making his first return to Catalans since leaving them last year, was red-carded in the 66th minute with the score locked at 14-14.
Still, 12-man Warrington won the game with a late Josh Thewlis try to remain unbeaten as Super League leaders. But Wales international Dudson (right) is now out of Friday’s huge table-topping clash against Wigan and won’t return until May 26.
Saturday was only his third game for the club. He missed the start of the season after breaking a hand during a preseason friendly.
Warrington are doing it the hard way with their props, given Joe Philbin was also slapped with a two-game ban for a dangerous contact against Catalans, James Harrison and Joe Bullock are injured and Thomas Mikaele returned to the NRL last week.
And Australian forward Josh McGuire only made his Super League debut for Wolves in France after completing his own seven-match suspension.
Dudson’s brutal act reminded some fans of his ex-Wigan and Wales team-mate Ben Flower’s infamous attack on St Helens’ Lance Hohaia in the 2014 Grand Final. Flower was banned for six months after that but Johnstone, who has scored nine tries in eight matches since joining Catalans from Wakefield, insisted: “It was nothing like the Ben Flower incident.
“I wasn’t unconscious. It wasn’t a fullon swing. “(Punishment) is not for me to comment on but when we do something wrong and make a mistake we know we have to suffer consequences.”