Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan isn’t sweating on Michael Ennis missing their NRL qualifying final against Canberra after his suspect hit on Melbourne five-eighth Blake Green.
The retiring hooker is likely to come under the gaze of the NRL match review committee after taking out Green in the lead-up to Cheyse Blair’s try in the Storm’s 26-6 victory at AAMI Park.
Ennis floored Green with a marginally late shoulder charge after he’d got the pass away.
Green stayed down for a few minutes and was attended to by Storm medical staff but recovered to play out the match.
A grade one shoulder charge equates to a two-game suspension, meaning Ennis would miss at least their week one clash with the Raiders.
Flanagan said he’d spoken to the 32-year-old and believed Ennis would be in the clear which would be a huge boost for the Sharks given his form and experience.
“Michael seemed to think that he had his arm down and that he put pressure on the bloke and he didn’t hit him in the head so we’ll leave that to the match review committee,” Flanagan said.
Meanwhile, the Sharks will already be without backrower Joseph Paulo, who suffered medial ligament damage in the first half.
Paulo’s teammate Jack Bird fell on Paulo’s knee as they went to ground in the first half and although he had it heavily strapped, he was unable to continue.
“Early stages is that it’s his MCL so a couple of weeks hopefully,” Flanagan said.
Chris Heighington, who left the field with a head knock, is expected to be cleared to play.
Rob
Guest
No way Rene. Not a Broncos supporter that's a little insulting. Cowboys. I'm passionate but I like to keep both eyes open. Sorry It is what it is. A shoulder charge. The separation crap is just that. A way of greying the truth. Ennis has no more right to do that as anyone else playing the game. No player or club should get preferential treatment because that's when fans get annoyed about NRL's integrity. Dumb frustration from Ennis.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Have you even watched the tackle? His arm is away from the body... Anyways I get your comment now, you're a broncos supporter...understandable.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
No contact with the head. Penalty on field sufficient
Rob
Guest
Do you have a tin hat on when commenting about Broncos being looked after? The mantra for this year finals advertising has been " be there when history is made". Ennis's hit the bloke late and didn't even try to make a legit tackle. He had every intent on hitting Green and accelerates into the contact after ball is passed. Don't care really but he has been looked after in this incident. Inglis isn't even looking, turned side on and stopping with Dugan changing direction back into him. Norman and Pearce have both been suspended for stupid off field behaviour but Fafita is all sweet? Sandor Earl gets 2 years and Sharks playing group get penalty back dated with sentence being hand down after being eliminated from finals. NRL is so inconsistent they stink of corruption.
Renegade
Roar Guru
As to agreeing with it being a conspiracy theory.... Hilarious.
Steve
Guest
Your answer to everything is a tin foil hat it seems. Hilarious.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Haha true! We know we're going to get enterprising football that's for sure... looking forward to it.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Wow was really expecting there to be a charge on this. The commentators during the game were all unanimous it was a shoulder charge. On the footy show today they all agreed it was a shoulder charge (Peter Stirling was pretty vocal about it too) and yet the MRC don't see it the same way? I guess it just goes to show there doesn't seem to be any consensus around this and its very subjective. I think Sharks dodged a bullet there but you take whatever luck comes your way. They'll need all hands on deck next week against a very in form Raiders side.
GTW
Guest
It's Raiders v Sharks now Renegade, and it will be fun......
GTW
Guest
How the hell did poor old Charlie Gubb get suspended for 7 weeks? There needs to be someone of intelligence regulating these decisions. The NRL is a big business and what cattle you have on the field, and who you're playing against, has enormous impact on the bottom line.
GTW
Guest
How much did the poor old sharks have to pay to let Ennis get off his shoulder charge? I will kill someone if Wighton gets charged after his tackle, which was 75% as bad and not late, like the grub's was. The Raiders touch a ref, 1 week suspension. Early in the year, Shannon Boyd got a week for a shoulder charge that I couldn't find footage of, and I watched the game a few times. While I'm at it, who saw Wighton touch the touchy?? I know he did touch him, and that Boyd did shoulder charge someone, but why were they suspended if no-one saw it? The Ennis tackle is worthy of being on Wikipedia as a text book shoulder charge. Why are the MRC so inconsistent? If you watched the Raiders game today they got penalised twice for holding down in the tackle while the tackle was still in progress; not like 4 seconds afterwards like the Storm do each ruck. This crap could matter in the weeks to come.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Yeah right.... The theory is soooo legit that the Sharks lost last night - makes perfect sense. Where do I get the tin foil hats from again?
Steve
Guest
Renegade....you can't possibly be this inconsistent by accident. There has to be another explanation and Robs theory is as good as any I've heard.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Ryan James broke a guy's nose where the shoulder actually hit the head and didn't get squat.... But let's have tin foil hats at 10 paces anyway.
Rob
Guest
Shoulder charge without a doubt. Don't have the rule if you are going to pick and choose who gets suspensions. Inglis 3 weeks, Feldt 3 weeks, Ennis no charge,Charlie Gubb 7. Sharks are being looked after big time. Is it something to do with Gallon and never winning the Comp?
Steve
Guest
What an absolute joke. My question would be.....are the MRC incompetent or just corrupt? That was a text book shoulder charge if ever there was one. 2 weeks ago Souths Zane Musgrove got charged when the ball carrier led with his shoulder and Zane braced himself for the impact. And yet Ennis can blindside someone and knock them over with a classic SC and nothing happens?? I am without speech!
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Yep. Everyone goes on and on about the Bunker. It's the MRC that's the problem. How they don't charge that and give a week for touching a ref per say is ludicrous!
Bulldog
Guest
Ridiculous that there is no charge.... The NRL is a joke with this stuff. The inconsistency is astounding. Kyle Feldt got three weeks for same thing and poor old Charlie Gubb...
Renegade
Roar Guru
No case to answer..... The bigger issue in that play was the forward pass but anyways, Sharks vs Raiders will be a beauty.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Have to be a realist,think he will miss a game,based on previous players' penalties .That makes the shark's task a tad harder against the Raiders. Latest news just now,no charge,Ennis free to play,which even as a Shark's supporter will surprise me.