Gold Coast’s finals push has been dealt a major blow with key forward Ryan James facing a one-week ban for a high shot that broke the jaw of Wests Tigers star James Tedesco.
The NRL match review committee on Sunday stung James with a grade two careless high tackle after collecting Tedesco in the 59th minute of Saturday’s last-gasp win over the Tigers in Campbelltown.
James’ right arm hit the face of Tedesco, who was falling after collecting a bomb in the backfield, however James wasn’t put on report and was only penalised for being offside from the kick.
Tedesco was taken to hospital where he was confirmed to have broken his jaw in two places and is now out for the rest of the season, cruelling the Tigers’ finals hopes.
The grade two charge carries 125 base penalty points, however a prior non-similar offence in the past two years lifted the points total to 150, and 112 with an early guilty plea.
The Titans now have until midday on Tuesday to decide whether to contest the charge at the judiciary.
A week’s suspension would sideline James, the Titans’ best forward this year, for next Saturday’s crucial clash against last-placed Newcastle at Hunter Stadium.
Gold Coast, who sit just one point above the Warriors and the Tigers in eighth spot, need to win to consolidate their place in the top eight with just three games remaining in the regular season.
Their final two games are against fellow top-eight contenders Penrith and North Queensland.
David Shillington was charged for making dangerous contact on Mitchell Moses in the 35th minute, however the Titans front-rower can escape suspension with an early guilty plea.
Meanwhile, South Sydney forward Zane Musgrove is looking at missing up to two games after committing a shoulder charge on Warriors prop Albert Vete.
Hit with a grade one charge, he’ll miss one game with an early guilty plea.
Muzz
Guest
I'm not suggesting that the Titans are rorting the cap. With that said, it would be easier for them seeing that the audits are done internally by the NRL who 1) Own the Titans 2) Are looking to add the polish and flog the Titans off to the highest bidder.
Scott
Guest
There are numerous worse tackles each week. The issue in this one is the injury which is the only reason anyone is talking about it.The fullback was very low and contact was made, in my opinion careless is a reasonable assessment as it was close to hip height if they were standing. If you make any head contact a suspension get used to seeing lots of people suspended. In relation to all the rubbish about the NRL owning the Titans this simply means they can't rort the salary cap like the majority of the other clubs
Carlos
Guest
Pays to have friends in high places huh. if this was a Parra or Penrith player it would be grade 4. Looks like Titans are exempt from the salary cap and illeagle contact rules.
Jimmmy
Guest
Sam, I feel for Tigers supporters. It is an absolute crying shame that Tedddy will not be there on their drive to the finals. One week is not enough for James. While that tackle was not the worst I have seen it was bad enough for 3 or 4 weeks IMO. James is a serial high tackle offender . I love the way he plays the game but he Must change his tackling technique .
Benedict Arnold
Guest
Mate, all for protecting the head and I have watched the footage and believe some of the fault lays at the hands of ryan james and some of it at james tedesco. There was nothing to me that suggests tedesco was "surrendering". A surrender tackle is (as far as I know) when a player runs an obstruction or a player is caught shepherding and has no choice but to stop in the line. We see it a few times each round where they have no choice but to do that or be penalised.
Sam Back-Hoe
Guest
disclaimer: tigers supporter. Tedesco didn't 'fall in to the tackle'. He bent down to take a low ball and James also went low but collected him on the head anyway. Ryan James may well be a great bloke off the field, but on-field he is a serial offending cheap shot artist. He could have hit Tedesco just as heavily and not made contact with his head - but he didn't. 1 week stinks, and he'll probably get off that on appeal. Are Michael Buettner and Tony Archer related perhaps?
Jacko
Guest
I just fail to see an offence here. If the arm had missed his head it would have hit his groin....Oh I see...HEAD high....now I understand............. It would appear charges are laid after the injury report is recieved unless you are a Warrior and your name is Gubb then its just "make him an example" Perhaps its about time the NRL owned clubs were treated the same as the non NRL owned clubs
maximillian
Guest
I feel for Teddy, he was a good chance to play the 4 nations & earn his 1st Kangaroo jersey. It also doesn't bode well for the Tigers, who are playing for their season in the last few games.
Casual Observer
Guest
BA how can you possibly say "Tedesco only has himself to blame..." Tedesco did not break his own jaw. Ryan James broke it. Players are allowed to surrender within the rules of the game. Defenders are not allowed to smash ball carriers in the head no matter what they are doing even if they are surrendering . If you are asserting that the rules should change to offset the risk then that is a different matter. But at the moment the rules are what they are, and Tedesco was within them and Ryan James was not. Even if you wish to suggest that Tedesco was breaking the rules by making a voluntary tackle and further, that he should have even penalised for it, Ryan James still clocked him in the head. Inarguable.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Tedesco did it to himself by dropping into the tackle like he always does.
catcat
Roar Rookie
Hi BA..you're not the only one - I have noticed this as well. I watch all the Dogs games and the Dogs kick chase love to lift and push a player back in the goal. There have been a few times this year where the kick returner has dived on the ground - sometimes without a hand on them, and I have wondered about the rules around that.....
Hoy
Roar Guru
Like the American "free catch"? But then wouldn't all kicks just be called a free catch? I guess it takes the bomb out of the equation for attack...
GB
Guest
Fullbacks are on a hiding to nothing with the amount of high balls today. They are standing still under high balls and get belted by fast moving defence. If the game was serious about protecting these players, a player should have the option of calling "mark" for a catch inside his own 20m area and receive a play the ball (tackle 1).
pronto
Guest
Its the defenders responsibility not to hit the ball carrier in the head - it was grade one careless BTW if Campbelltown is Haynes house what happened to San Fran, Suva, Robins??
Casual Observer
Guest
Surely you are not implying that it is Tedesco's running style that is somehow to blame. It is quite simply Ryan's tackling style that is at fault. Tedesco can run however the hell he likes: Upright, bent over, backwards or on his knees if he wants. It is up to the defender not to smash him in the head. I blame Ryan unconditionally. Who else's fault could it be?
howzyapappa
Guest
Seems like you have a lot of inside information. Must be hard carrying all that around
Mongo
Guest
And greg Inglis gets 3 weeks for a block as Dugan runs into him and gets 3 weeks because of the broken jaw consequences - the NRL owned club Titans seems to be doing OK. BTW in the Wests game the overwhelming majority of decisions after 30 mins went to the team trailing on the scoreboard. Cummins had a shocker but he'll still get the finals - why is that?? Missed forward passes, lateral passes called forward, strips missed, etc etc depending on who was in front.
Jimmmy
Guest
Yeah, TB it wasn't the worst tackle of 2016, definitely some mitigating factors but as you say ,one week? The onus must be on the defender to avoid the head at all costs. Losing guys like Teddy through illegal contact has diminished the run to the final series for Tigers fans ,We have to stamp this out,
Benedict Arnold
Guest
I hate to be all negative but what happened to james tedesco is exactly what needed to happen to highlight a small blight on the game that has crept in in the last few seasons. In fact, it probably stems back furhter than that - I'm just noticing it more than usual. Fullbacks surrendering and going to ground for the voluntary tackle. They do it because the defending player has no choice but to just flop on them, the fullback loses no ground and can get up and play the ball with relative speed. It also makes it impossible for a player to be pushed back into the in goal if they are just forward of their try line. If the refs did their job and applied the rules, the voluntary tackle would be penalised as it should be. I'm of the opinion that the ball carrier, in this instance Tedesco, only has himself to blame for the outcome of potential for injuries such as what occurred at campbelltown.
The eye
Guest
Thought James was a bit unlucky,too..like Fergo last night.. James has had a real dig at taking the cheapness out of his game this year..definitely unintentional..