Penrith hooker Mitch Kenny has been banned 2-3 matches after being charged by the match review committee for dangerous contact on Roosters forward Nat Butcher.
Kenny brought Butcher down in the fourth minute with a hip-drop tackle which damaged his opponent’s knee and he limped off a short time later, which angered Roosters coach Trent Robinson and skipper James Tedesco.
“It was pretty disappointing, nothing was mentioned,” Robinson said. “There’s no confusion. It’s pretty clear.”
“I don’t know if it was looked at by the Bunker or referees, but nothing was said or done,” Tedesco added.
Broncos hooker Billy Walters was hit with a fine of $1000-$1500 for a crusher tackle in their loss to the Warriors while Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte is looking at the same punishment for a high shot on Panthers front-rower Lindsay Smith.
Four players were fined from Sunday’s games with Sharks duo Teig Wilton and Cameron McInnes charged with dangerous contact, Knights winger James Schiller and Titans forward Klese Haase making careless high tackles.
Sea Eagles prop Toafofoa Sipley could be facing a lengthy ban after he was referred directly to the NRL judiciary for a hip drop tackle.
He was sin-binned for the tackle on Dragons winger Mat Feagai in the 52nd minute.
He limped from the field and played no further part in St George Illawarra’s 20-18 win.
Feagai will go for scans on a possible serious leg injury that could sideline him long-term.
Sea Eagles captain Daly Cherry-Evans said post-match Sipley “might have been concussed and then lost his legs” while making the tackle.
“It looks pretty accidental from what I saw,” he said.
Manly had their misery compounded during the match with injuries to Nathan Brown (shoulder), Jake Trbojevic (concussion) and Tommy Talau (leg).
The trio are expected to miss the round-eight clash with Penrith.
Coach Anthony Seibold also confirmed the side would be without hooker Lachlan Croker for a month after knee surgery.
The Sea Eagles have now lost their last three matches to slide out of the top eight after being second in round four.
Seibold said star fullback Tom Trbojevic was on track to return against the Panthers at CommBank Stadium next Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Storm duo Tui Kamikamica and Ryan Papenhuyzen, Bulldogs forward Viliame Kikau and Souths prop Davvy Moale have been charged for offences on Good Friday but have escaped bans.
Kikau and Kamikamica were pinged $1800-$2500 for careless high tackles, Moale and Papenhuyzen have been fined $1000-$1500 for dangerous contact charges.
