Toronto Wolfpack players face discipline after fight-filled home debut

TORONTO — Four players from the Toronto Wolfpack and one from Oxford RLFC have been charged with offences ranging from punching to head-butting arising from last Saturday’s fight-filled home opener in Toronto.

Rugby league offences are divided into six grades, with A the lowest level and F the most serious.

Toronto prop Jake Emmitt, one of three players sent off during the Wolfpack’s 62-12 win at Lamport Stadium, faces the stiffest penalty if found guilty. He is charged with a Grade C punching offence which carries a ban of two to three games.

Emmitt was yellow-carded late in the game, taking his time to leave the field. He then threw several punches at an Oxford player who gave him an earful as he walked off and the fight was on. 

Emmitt also received a caution for “other contrary behaviour.”

provincial legislation

'Being pushed down this path:' Nanaimo council re-zoning thousands of properties for higher density

2h ago

notable change

Federal government grants B.C. request to ban public drug use

4h ago

whale watching

Orca pod spotted in vicinity of orphan B.C. killer whale, but no evidence of family

5h ago

Oxford’s Callum Windley and Toronto’s Blake Wallace, who were sent off from the same melee as Emmitt, each face a Grade B punching offence (which carry a ban of one to two games).

Liam Kay also faces a Grade B punching charge while Toronto teammate Sean Penkywicz has been charged with Grade A head-butting (light contact, which calls for a maximum one-game ban). Both players were yellow-carded in separate incidents.

In all cases, the players can make a so-called early guilty plea, which means they will face the lower end of the prescribed discipline.  

Toronto (6-0-0) plays at the Newcastle Thunder (3-3-0) on Friday.

The Canadian Press