Rabbitohs recruit Lewis Dodd has accepted a one-game ban for a high shot on Sione Finau in his side’s Charity Shield loss to the Dragons.
On Tuesday morning, he accepted a grade two careless high tackle charge and will miss the Bunnies’ opener against the Dolphins. He is one of three players to accept round one bans.
The halfback was binned under an experimental rule that was trialled during the pre-season challenge, which allowed the Bunker to revisit any actions within 15 minutes of their occurrence and discipline players accordingly.
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Dodd was penalised and put on report for the shot on Finau in the 28th minute of Sunday’s clash.
Finau played briefly played on – and even scored – before coming from the field. Having been initially pulled from the field showing symptoms of heat stroke, the independent doctor also ordered he undergo a HIA.
Lewis Dodd was sinbinned at half time for this high shot on Sione Finau during the Charity Shield. Fox Sports
At half time, Dodd became the first player binned under the experimental rule, which will not be used in the season proper.
Finau scored four tries in the first half, including a hat-trick in only 10 minutes as the Dragons ran through an injury-riddled Rabbitohs side.
The Red V outran the clock on their way to a 34-0 lead on the half-hour mark, before the Bunnies scored twice before half time.
A comeback was looming when the Bunnies scored three more tries to open the second half, before the Dragons steadied the ship and scored two more.
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Although only credited with two try-assists, new Dragons fullback and co-captain Clint Gutherson was instrumental in the side’s attack.
As the focus now turns to round one, the former Eels skipper said the new-look Dragons spine was “coming along nicely”.
“That first half we were doing everything right, we came out a little bit slow in the second half and made it hard on ourselves, but it’s rugby league – when the flow begins it’s hard to get out of,” he told Fox Sports.
“I’m really pleased. We got exactly what we wanted out of it.
“The last couple of weeks, we’ve been growing slowly which we wanted to do, now we can rest up and get ready to go in round one.”
The Dragons kick off their season against the Bulldogs at Kogarah on March 8.
