JAMIE Acton will miss nearly all of Leigh’s fight to save their Super League status after being banned for nine games.

The 25-year-old’s punishment for his Grade F ‘contrary behaviour’ against Catalans’ Greg Bird includes matches against Warrington and Huddersfield for which he wasn’t selected.

He will now miss Friday’s game with Salford and six of Centurions’ Middle 8’s fixtures before his punishment is served.

Acton, who lifted Bird off the floor and then pushed him back down with the Australian apparently injured, pleaded guilty. However, he challenged the severity of the grading that carried a minimum eight match ban.