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Rugby League

Wildcats relegation fears increase with double suspension

08/08/2006

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' hope of avoiding the Super League drop were dealt a blow by the news that two players, including captain Monty Betham, are to be suspended and fined by the game's authorities after red cards at the weekends.

Betham and forward Ned Catic are to be banned for two and three games respectively having been dismissed in Saturday's stormy victory away at fellow strugglers Castleford.

The pair are also fined £300 each for incidents whose effects threaten to mar what was a crucial victory in coach John Kear's first game at the helm.

"The judiciary process was a swift and fair one, the club can't condone the two players' actions during the fixture against Castleford," he said in the aftermath of the announcement.

Both will miss the visit of the Catalans Dragons and the game away at Leeds Rhinos, while Catic will also be absent when they they face off against Challenge Cup finalists St Helens.

However philosophical he seems, Kear will be rueing their indiscipline, especially that of Catic who head-butted Paul Sculthorpe with the game already won, as he enters a nail-bitingly finale to the season.

After the deduction of two points from Wigan for breaching the league's salary cap, Wakefield are in a three-way tie at the foot of the table with Catalan Dragons making up the trio.

Immune from relegation to the National League, the Spanish side can watch on as Wakefield scrap with their famous rivals to push the other down the relegation trapdoor.

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