Burgess ban big blow to Bunnies
IN A blow to Souths Sydney’s premiership chances, prop Tom Burgess is facing a two to three-match suspension for a high tackle during Sunday’s spiteful match against Sydney Roosters.
Burgess and four other players from the controversial game, including Roosters enforcer Jared WaereaHargreaves, were charged by the NRL match review committee on Monday morning.
The English forward was charged with a grade two careless high tackle on Sydney Roosters fullback James Tedesco, who left the field for an MIA in the 18th minute and did not return.
Burgess will be suspended for two games with an early plea but that ban would increase to three should he fight and lose at a judiciary hearing.
Burgess was charged a second time for a grade one careless high tackle on Roosters prop Matt Lodge. For the Lodge tackle, Burgess is facing a fine of between $1800 and $2500.
Strangely, Burgess wasn’t sin-binned for the Tedesco tackle but was banished for 10 minutes for the Lodge hit.
It was Burgess’s second offence this season.
Rabbitohs winger Taane Milne was also charged for a grade one careless high shot on Roosters winger Joseph Suaalii.
Milne will escape suspension but faces a fine between $1800 and $2500.
Waerea-Hargreaves was whacked with a grade two contrary conduct charge for an alleged hard slam on Burgess, who left the field dazed.
In a horror end to the season, Waerea-Hargreaves is facing a three to four-game suspension because it’s his third offence this year.
Suaalii was also charged with contrary conduct but will only be fined.
Asked after the game about the Waerea-Hargreaves head slam, Souths coach Jason Demetriou said: “We are talking about concussions as a serious part of our game, and we are talking about the referees and the game as a whole doing things to protect the players.
“But if a player wants to hold somebody who is defenceless and slam his head into the ground, when does the responsibility come back on the player? I just think it is an ordinary act, and I think the game has to come down on it.
“You know what you are doing when you slam a bloke’s head into the ground. As a player, you have to have some respect for the opposition.”