Clubb cleared to play for Wigan after Hastings blow

WIGAN’S Tony Clubb has escaped sanction for two incidents involving future team-mate Jackson Hastings in the Qualifying Final victory over Salford.

The Warriors forward is free to face St Helens in the Preliminary Final on Friday after the RFL’s Match Review Panel ruled that no further action should be taken against him.

The panel assessed footage of Hastings’ try just after the hour mark. After stepping through the Warriors’ defensive line, the Australian playmaker dived over under the sticks, at which point Clubb’s forearm appears to connect with the back of the Red Devils’ star’s head.

And while the MRP determined that this is an offence that was worthy of an on-field penalty, the offence was not deemed to fall into the available gradings for a penalty notice that would lead to suspension.

The second incident was in the closing stages of the match when the pair again came together off the ball.

The MRP notes that Clubb ‘swipes towards the head area’ of Hastings, who has been receiving specialist treatment for an eye injury that caused blurred vision.

However, the panel could not determine whether this injury was caused by Clubb, saying the ‘contact with opponent is not conclusive’ and that Hastings is involved in two further plays before appearing to feel for his eye.

Salford did not submit further information to the MRP, but head coach Ian Watson revealed after the match that Hastings had begun struggling with his vision following the confrontation and it is not yet certain whether the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award frontrunner will be fit to feature on Thursday against Castleford.

“It was an incident off-the-ball with Clubb again,” explained the Red Devils boss. “He’s kind of whacked his hand across him and caught him in the eye.

“He was struggling to get vision at the end of the game, probably at the point when you want your halfback to step up in those big moments.”

Watson refused to blame the officials for the result against Wigan, but cited inconsistencies in the way the two teams were treated.

He said: “Tommy Leuluai in the defensive line was offside all day long, but didn’t get pulled up. As soon as we get one offside in a transition, [the referee] pings us. It’s got to be the same both ways.

“But I thought it was a great game. I’m really proud of our efforts.”