Batley Bulldogs charged with fielding ineligible player

Bulldogs, and Doncaster, have been charged with breaching Operational Rule D1.20 which states that dual registration players who have a salary cap value of £20,000 or more must have played in at least three league fixtures for the Championship club that season before the end-of-season registration deadline in order to play in games which fall after the deadline, whether they be regular season or play-off games.

The charges follow complaints that Jacob Fairbank, a dual registered player from Huddersfield Giants, played for Batley against Sheffield Eagles, and that Ben Crooks, a dual-registered player from Hull FC, played for Doncaster against Keighley Cougars.

Both matches were played on Sunday July 27, two days after the registration deadline for the Kingstone Press Championship closed.

The charges will be heard by an independent Operational Rules Tribunal which has been scheduled for Thursday, August 14.

If found guilty, Batley and Doncaster face a range of sanctions, including a fine and/or the deduction of competition points.

Dewsbury Rams have been cleared of an allegation that they fielded an ineligible player in a Championship fixture against Barrow Raiders on the same day.