The news doesn’t get any better for St George Illawarra, with powerful forward Trent Merrin to miss the next month for his part in a lifting tackle in NSW’s State of Origin capitulation.
On a four-match losing streak, the Dragons can ill-afford to be without their big back-rower as they try to consolidate their spot in the NRL top eight.
However on Thursday, Merrin submitted an early guilty plea for his ugly tackle – a grade-two dangerous throw charge – on Corey Parker on Wednesday night during the Blues’ massive Origin decider loss to Queensland.
He will miss the Dragons’ next four games, making him next available for St George Illawarra’s round-22 match on August 8 against the Warriors.
“It’s the game we play and it was unintentional but I’ve got to cop it on the chin,” said Merrin.
“I’ve got to work hard in the four weeks off and get back and do my job for the Dragons.”
Fellow Blues forwards Beau Scott and James Tamou will sit out one NRL match each after submitting early guilty pleas to charges.
Scott was slapped with a grade-one dangerous throw charge for his tackle on Queensland skipper Cameron Smith, and will subsequently miss Newcastle’s clash on Friday with Canberra.
Tamou will sit out North Queensland’s visit to Brookvale to face Manly on Monday July 20, after being charged with a grade-two careless high tackle for a clumsy effort on Jacob Lillyman in the second half of Origin III.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Spudd hitting Kenty right between the eyes!
Despite a poor season by his own high standards, Latrell Mitchell is still a chance to force his way into the NSW team for…
Michael Maguire is saying all the right things about how he wants to guide NSW back to State of Origin supremacy but the inescapable…
Wayde Egan's rise to star hooker status at the Warriors should earn him a place in conversation to play at No.9 for NSW in…
Hilton Cartwright and Joel Paris have powered Western Australia to a five-wicket win over NSW in the one-day cup final, securing a historic third…
One poor season from the Roosters' number one is not reflective of a trend, but an anomaly, and James Tedesco should not have his position questioned.
