Ex-St Helens stalwart slams “total and utter embarrassment” following controversial red card in Salford Red Devils loss

FORMER St Helens stalwart John Stankevitch has slammed what he has called “a total and utter embarrassment” following a red card handed to Mark Percival in Saints’ 24-20 loss to Salford Red Devils on Friday night.

Percival was handed his marching orders in just the 45th minute by referee Tom Grant after a heavy collision with Salford forward Jack Ormondroyd.

Ormondroyd had already spilled a bullet pass before Percival knocked the Red Devils man off his feet. However, the action was deemed forceful without any mitigating factors.

As such, the Saints man was sent off with Paul Wellens’ men up 14-6 at that point. Although Saints went into a 20-6 lead at one stage, the extra man told in the end as Salford ran home 24-20 winners.

Stankevitch, however, was unhappy with the decision to send Percival off and voiced his concerns at the state of rugby league.

Stankevitch posted on X: “Red card. What a total and utter embarrassment @TheRFL. Just can’t believe what I’m watching anymore. Wow. We can’t just stay silent anymore surely.”

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