Hock axed by Super League club Salford

England forward Gareth Hock was released by Super League club Salford owner Marwan Koukash on Monday after a series of disciplinary issues.

Hock was last week given a six-match ban by the Rugby Football League after being found guilty of two separate offences of kneeing opponents.

The 31-year-old missed the end of last season after being banned for seven games for deliberately making contact with a referee and will now be sidelined until Easter Monday.

Writing on Twitter on Monday, Koukash, who last week claimed Hock might want to think of doing something other than rugby, said: “Gareth Hock has left the club. I thank him for his services and wish him well and the very best for the future. Good luck mate.

“Whatever you think of Gaz as a player, he is a very nice person and did deserve all the help he got and will get off me.”

Hock submitted a transfer request last September but later withdrew it and appeared in Salford’s opening two games of the season.

He served a two-year ban from 2009-10 for cocaine use and was thrown out of the England squad on the eve of the 2013 World Cup for a breach of discipline.

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