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Melbourne captain Cameron Smith has been suspended for Saturday’s NRL clash with Manly after pleading guilty to a wishbone tackle on Kevin Proctor.
Smith on Monday accepted the one-match ban after being charged with a grade-two dangerous contact charge for pulling former teammate Proctor’s leg during Saturday’s win over the Gold Coast.
The 34-year-old missed the 2008 preliminary final against Cronulla and the grand final against the Sea Eagles when he was banned for two games for a grapple tackle.
Those are the last two games the Queensland and Kangaroos captain has missed through suspension, with his only other ban stemming from a dangerous throw in 2003.
Some experts believe the Australian and Queensland captain is lucky not to be facing a longer ban.
“He grabs him at the leg and twists him around. If it was done to his arm, a chicken wing, Cameron would’ve had a month on the sideline,” rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns said on the Nine Network.
“I know Cameron’s come out and said it wasn’t deliberate, but it’s dangerous.”
Smith was adamant after the match there was no malice in the tackle, referring to his close friendship with Proctor following their time together at the Storm.
The Storm’s back-up hooker Brandon Smith is likely to wear the No.9 jumper against the Sea Eagles.
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