Declan O’Donnell of Rochdale Hornets appeared at an independent Operational Rules Tribunal on February 11 on a Grade E charge of making unnecessary contact with a player who is injured or may be injured – in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup fixture against Cornwall on February 2.
Under the new sanctioning process for on-field misconduct, all Grade E charges result in an automatic referral to an Operational Rules Tribunal, with the minimum sanction of 24 penalty points meaning a four-match suspension.
The player pleaded guilty, and was suspended for five matches, with a £75 fine – and 33 points added to his disciplinary record, which will remain there for 12 months from the date of the offence – ie until February 1, 2026.
