Mike Forshaw will be free to play in Friday's clash with Castleford despite being found guilty of striking by RFL bosses.

But the Tigers will be without two key players for the match at Valley Parade after Dean Sampson and Michael Smith were hit with bans.

Veteran back-rower Forshaw was found guilty of a careless high tackle on Hull's Sean Ryan in last Friday's win at The Boulevard but the penalty awarded in the match was deemed a sufficient punishment.

But Sampson, a former Great Britain prop, had his career effectively ended by a six-match ban for striking at an earlier hearing yesterday.

Super League's oldest player, set to retire at the end of the season to take up a coaching post, left Wigan's Adrian Lam with two missing teeth and in need of oxygen after a

brutal assault in the 18-18 draw with Warriors. The 35-year-old was fined £400.

Papua New Guinea international Lam left the field on a stretcher with a suspected broken jaw following the incident, but after examination it was found his jaw was just badly bruised.

Sampson did not make a personal appearance at the hearing, with Tigers chief executive Richard Wright representing the veteran prop instead.

And Kiwi second-row forward Michael Smith will also miss out on the big game with the Bulls after picking up a one-match ban.

He was fined £250 after being found guilty of striking Sean Briscoe following a challenge also in the Wigan game.