Canterbury captain James Graham is facing up to five weeks suspension as one of four Bulldogs charged in the wake of their controversial loss to premiers South Sydney.
The Bulldogs pack is set to be decimated with Graham, fellow prop David Klemmer and Sam Kasiano all facing bans while hooker Michael Lichaa can escape suspension with an early guilty plea.
The match review committee on Monday handed down its findings on Friday night’s fiery clash of the 2014 grand finalists, also citing South Sydney star George Burgess.
Graham faces a 1-2 week ban for dangerous contact over his attempted kick charge down which left South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds with knee ligament damage that will sideline him for four months.
And he stands to get a further 2-3 weeks for contrary conduct over his heated reaction to referee Gerard Sutton when penalised for the Reynolds incident.
Klemmer was also charged with contrary conduct and faces a 2-3 week ban for the spray he gave Sutton over the same crucial incident in the dying moments of the game.
And Kasiano is looking at a 2-3 week ban for making dangerous contact with Issac Luke’s head or neck as the South Sydney hooker was scoring a try just before halftime.
Lichaa received a grade one contrary contact charge.
While four Bulldogs players were cited, teammate Josh Morris escaped sanction with his boot to the head of Luke in the same incident presumably deemed accidental.
Souths stand to lose Burgess for one match after he copped a dangerous contact charge for an incident involving Canterbury forward Josh Jackson.
Sydney Roosters pair Aidan Guerra and Michael Jennings copped charges from their upset loss to Cronulla on Sunday.
Guerra, who looks set to be sidelined anyway with a cheekbone fracture, was charged with a dangerous throw charge on Chris Heighington and will miss one match with an early guilty plea.
Jennings caught Luke Lewis with a high tackle in the dying minutes and can escape a suspension with an early guilty plea.
Canberra winger Jordan Rapana will also be available for selection this week with an early guilty plea to a grade-one high tackle on Jamie Buhrer.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
A public riot? If that was a riot then a slap is attempted murder.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Wonder what the Bulldogs look like next week. Presumably Perrett at fullback, Thompson on the wing, Mbye at Centre, Reynolds starting at 5/8th, Kaufusi as Prop #2, bench of Browne, L Perrett, Pritchard, and someone else. Who knows, might see Tasi at centre and Mbye or Reynolds benched.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I'm a marginalised, traumatised and misunderstood member of society on night shift Squidward - we turned a white Audi red overnight, lowered it, fitted mags and out the back door. I wish I could find someone who is able to edge me onto a disability pension. What do you reckon they'd take in commission?
Lee
Roar Rookie
Was it 1989 when Steve Roach got about 4 weeks for something similar? He got marched for back-chatting, then he gave Eddie Ward a pat on the head for good measure and then blew up at the touchy on his way off. 4 weeks...The Dogs are copping something similar and they didn't touch the ref. I'd call that progress :-)
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Brilliant rant!
Jay C
Roar Guru
Seems about right to me.
Don
Roar Rookie
I need to rewatch the match to check, but was there any reason why the player who kneed Guerra tried to jump over him rather than go around him? I know it was an accident but it may also have been careless / reckless contact.
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Mick, you've missed the most important question. That is, did Gerard Sutton successfully obtain the cheerleader's phone number (see video still above). Great rant but!
cedric
Guest
I read the other blog about Graham's charge down on Reynolds, there's alot of thought about it being accidental. I thought the new rule was very clear, " don't tough the kickers legs ". Isn't that simple, I think so, so Graham gets a few weeks for that and then a few for his spray on the ref and he's gone for about 7 weeks. Kasiano, wow lucky he didn't break Lukes neck, 3 weeks. How did Morris get off when it cleary shows him kicking out and connecting with Lukes head. Klemmer and Lichaa! This was a game with alot of feeling but the dogs went overboard and Des better get inside the heads of his boys! It also appears some of the dogs supporters have the same " we're hard done by " attitude. The dogs have shown over the past few weeks they can get in the grid but have alot of trouble getting over the line, they dominated this game for 65 minutes and lost!
Squidward
Roar Rookie
That's a 2am rant if I've ever seen one!!
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I do trust the process imposes the higher number indicated in the report - 5 weeks for the Canterbury-not-a-captain's-bootlace and 3 weeks for the other cage fighter. Just look at him in the video - Lord knows he needs a bell ringer to walk ahead of him when he's out in public to warn of his approach. I wonder how he reacts at McDonalds when they bring a cheeseburger to his high chair instead of the junior burger he ordered? The chances are the NRL will shrug its shoulders and say "Aw, that's our Desi" and he'll get off. The Canterbury CEO will do nothing about his smart alec attitude as a consequence. Simply put, the behaviour of these three initiated a public riot. A referee and a player ended up in hospital and a couple of teenagers were belted by the mob. I wonder does this really trouble the NRL?