Star winger Suliasi Vunivalu will miss Melbourne’s trip to North Queensland unless he can beat a dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary.
Vunivalu was on Monday charged with a grade-two offence for a leg pull on Canterbury fullback Nick Meaney early in Sunday’s narrow win over the Bulldogs.
Meaney got up gingerly but the incident was not penalised by on-field officials, before Vunivalu was picked up by the match review committee.
The Fijian will miss just one match if he pleads guilty to the charge.
But if he contests the charge at the judiciary, he would risk sitting out the Storm’s grand final rematch against the Sydney Roosters in round six.
Meanwhile, Canterbury forward Ofahiki Ogden was charged for dangerous contact on Storm centre Will Chambers but will escape a ban with a guilty plea.
Both players have until midday on Tuesday to respond to the charges.
Brisbane forward Tevita Pangai Junior will miss two games after taking the early guilty plea for his late shot on Roosters halfback Cooper Cronk.
Gold Coast forward Moeaki Fotuaika will also miss a match after taking the early guilty plea for tackling airborne Warriors halfback Blake Green.
Warriors hooker Jazz Tevaga will head to the judiciary on Tuesday night to challenge his dangerous contact charge on Titans prop Shannon Boyd.
Tevaga faced a one-game ban if he took the early guilty plea, and will still finish the one-game suspension should he fail to overturn the charge.
theHunter
Guest
He deliberately spun himself while the tackle was complete and although I think his intention was not to harm him but to delay the play-the-ball, it was still a dangerous tactic. Just like when a tackler goes in and unintentionally does a high tackle. Penalty either way. What I do not like about Vunivalu though is the way he defends in their red zone. His horrible reads in defense has costed tries on his wing. Hardly will you ever see a Wing score a try on his end via a side-step at him, fend, running over him or even during a half-tackle because these are his strengths but tries are score still because all of them are mostly because he has over-read the defense and rushed up.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Just watched the video again. The tackle stops. The ref clearly says “get off him” and then Vunivalu does his crocodile roll on Meaney. Mind boggling it wasn’t a penalty.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I guess we’ve got a foot in each camp but I disagree. Vunivalu definitely completes a second movement on Meaney to twist him around after the tackle was completed to slow the play the ball down. I think he tried to slow the play the ball down as opposed to trying to hurt Meaney but the end result is the same and it’s a dangerous move. I don’t know how it wasn’t an in field penalty for either slowing the PTB or the leg pull. A good example of how Melbourne get the rub of the green in this area.
Peter Piper
Guest
I disagree. I think he is over enthusiastic and naive at times but not dirty. I don't think he would deliberately hurt anyone for anything. He has zero priors, none ever and if you watch the video, I think it is him holding on a bit too long as the Bulldogs player tries to get up quickly. I don't think he pulls on that leg at all.
AE47
Roar Rookie
Holding up the standards benchmarked by the strom
M
Guest
Good to watch Vunivalu play, a shame he has become so grubby. Lots of dirty tricks in his game.