The Rugby Football League has fined St Helens playmaker Jackson Hastings following an incident tied to the club's defeat at Leeds Rhinos in June, issuing a warning that further misconduct could lead to harsher penalties.
Fines and suspensions handed down
The governing body announced on Monday that Hastings had been fined £2,000, with £500 suspended until the end of the 2027 season. The charge related to breaches of operational rules connected to the RFL's Respect policy, behaviour standards and conduct bringing the game into disrepute.
The RFL statement confirmed the matter stemmed from an incident involving the match commissioner after Saints' 24-16 Betfred Super League loss at Leeds on 4 June. Hastings was not a participant on the field that day.
“Hastings has been warned that any similar future misconduct could result in referral to an operational rules tribunal and potentially more severe penalties, including match suspensions.”
The panel's action against Hastings forms part of a wider set of sanctions handed out this week across the competition.
- Bernard Guasch (Catalans Dragons chairman): fined £3,000, with £1,500 suspended until the end of next season; banned from entering the tunnel area when match officials are present.
- Jim Lenihan (Huddersfield Giants coach): fined £1,000, with £500 suspended until the end of the 2027 season, for media comments viewed as public criticism of referees.
Details and immediate consequences
Guasch's fine relates to his behaviour towards match officials following Catalans' 34-28 Super League victory over Castleford Tigers in Perpignan on 13 June. The RFL said he was investigated under the same operational rules as Hastings and added that Guasch will not be permitted to enter the tunnel area at matches while match officials are present.
The commission's position is clear: officials and club representatives must adhere to the Respect policy and maintain behaviour standards that do not bring the sport into disrepute. In Lenihan's case, the RFL considered remarks he made to the media after Huddersfield's 30-14 defeat by Bradford Bulls — including references to “unconscious bias” — as a public criticism of referees and potentially a challenge to their integrity.
| Individual | Penalty | Suspended Portion | Additional Sanction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Hastings (St Helens) | £2,000 | £500 until end of 2027 season | Warning — further misconduct could lead to tribunal/more severe penalties |
| Bernard Guasch (Catalans Dragons) | £3,000 | £1,500 until end of next season | No tunnel access while officials present; warning over future misconduct |
| Jim Lenihan (Huddersfield Giants) | £1,000 | £500 until end of 2027 season | Reminder of Respect policy; warned over future conduct |
What this means for St Helens
For Saints supporters, the fine is significant because it involves one of the club's leading signings. While the sanction is financial and no playing suspension was imposed, the suspended element makes the warning a live one: any repetition of the behaviour could see the matter escalated to an operational rules tribunal with stiffer penalties, including possible match bans.
St Helens have already endured a turbulent campaign on and off the field. The club will want to draw a line under this episode and focus on stabilising performances as the season approaches its decisive phase. The RFL's action also signals the governing body's intent to enforce standards across clubs, from players to chairmen and coaches, not just on-field breaches.
Supporters and club officials will now be watching closely: the ruling is a reminder that public conduct, whether in the heat of a fixture or in comments to media, carries consequences that can affect individuals and the clubs they represent.
Further details were provided in the RFL's announcements on Monday; no match suspensions were reported in the cases announced alongside the fines.
