Boost for Wildcats' top 8 hopes as Salford lose appeal

The tribunal decided that the club would therefore be deducted six points and fined £5,000.

The tribunal found Salford guilty of the following:

- Seeking to avoid declaring payments made to Tony Puletua by entering into a contract with the player via another company associated with the club

- Non declaration of benefits to Lami Tasi and Theo Fages.

An RFL Spokesperson said: “The decision today from Sports Resolutions clearly shows that the RFL disciplinary process is robust and fair.

“It is of utmost importance that clubs adhere to the salary cap and that if they are found to have broken it they are held to account.

“As we have previously stated and agreed we see this decision as final and binding and hope all parties involved can now focus on the rest of the season.”

A summary of the original decision by the Independent RFL Tribunal will be published on Rugby-league.com in the coming days.

The result of the appeal means that Wakefield Trinity Wildcats stay in seventh place in the Super League table and need just one point from their last three games to be sure of a place in the Super Eights for the first time.