SALFORD Red Devils are appealing against the suspensions that threaten to rule full-back Dan Sarginson and forward Luke Yates out of Saturday’s Coral Challenge Cup semi-final against Warrington Wolves.

Sarginson, who scored two tries in the Red Devils’ 22-18 extra-time quarter-final win over Catalans Dragons, has been handed a two-match ban for a Grade B high tackle on Hull full-back Jamie Shaul during last Thursday’s Super League game.

The Rugby Football League’s match review panel also banned Yates for one match for a Grade B dangerous tackle on hooker Danny Houghton in the same game.

Salford coach Ian Watson told a press conference that Sarginson’s sin-binning ought to have been sufficient punishment, claiming he could not pull out of the tackle on Shaul.

He believes it illustrates a wider problem in the game, with defenders leaving themselves open to injury and he accuses some players of milking penalties.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “I’m a little bit baffled by what the match review panel has seen.

“Everyone keeps talking about the defender having a duty of care going into a tackle on the attacker but I’m sick to death of seeing people going in the tackle and getting up and holding their neck and trying to cheat a penalty for a crusher tackle.

“Jamie Shaul loses his legs and Dan has half a second to somehow change his tackle technique. There is no way of doing that.

“The ball carrier has got to start having a duty of care for himself. If you’re a player who keeps backing off into a tackle, you’re putting yourself in a vulnerable position, you’re opening yourself up to get hurt.

“Full-backs are losing their legs whenever they want.

“We’re really big on discipline, we’ve worked really hard on it because it’s something that has held this club back for a long time.

“Last year we pulled a player for backing into a tackle and putting himself in a crusher position. You can’t keep blaming a defender when you’re putting yourself in a dangerous position.

“I don’t want people getting injured but there are people at the moment who will stay down and hold their neck.”

Watson, who says the punishments have thrown his plans into disarray, is also aggrieved over the timing of the bans.

The RFL says the suspensions begin from midnight on the day of any hearing and therefore Tuesday’s league fixture against Warrington will not count.

“The game has been brought forward 24 hours to get a double-header on Sky,” Watson said. “It helps the game out but we’re penalised for it.

“For the match review panel to know the game is on Tuesday but only look at the video on Sunday is really short-sighted.

“Someone should have looked at that video on Saturday or Sunday. That’s what they used to do at Easter.”