Josh McGuire has copped a five-week ban for his hip-drop tackle on Josh Addo-Carr, with the St George Illawarra forward one of four Dragons players to be suspended for a combined 13 NRL matches.
A stunning 10 incidents were picked up by the match review committee across three games on Sunday, taking the overall charge sheet for Magic Round to 24 matters.
That number is almost double the benchmark of 14 that was set the previous round, which at the time stood as the most of any weekend since at least 1999.
The Dragons are the hardest hit from Sunday’s games, with McGuire, Tyrell Fuimaono, Mikaele Ravalawa and Tariq Sims all accepting the early guilty plea for bans of varying length.
McGuire’s charge stems from an incident in which he fell onto the legs of Addo-Carr after coming into a tackle late, earning him a grade-three dangerous contact charge.
The early guilty plea will wipe him out for five games, but he was facing seven if he challenged the ruling and lost at the NRL judiciary.
His cause was also not helped by a horror judiciary record which included five charges in the past two years.
It comes after coach Anthony Griffin on Sunday defended the Dragons’ recent acquisition.
“You’ve got to be able to tackle someone and the legs will sometimes get tangled up, so I want to get some clarification on that,” Griffin said.
McGuire’s ban ends any hope he had of claiming a spot back in Queensland’s State of Origin side, after missing out last year.
The 31-year-old was also charged for a high tackle, but can escape with a $2600 fine.
Meanwhile, Fuimaono will also miss five weeks for a high shot that knocked out Ryan Papenhuyzen and was deemed reckless by the Match Review Committee.
Ravalawa has pleaded guilty to a shoulder charge on Justin Olam and will miss two weeks.
It comes as the winger was himself on return from a previous shoulder charge suspension, while Sims will miss one week for dangerous contact on Tyson Smoothie.
The mass suspensions come as the Dragons lose fullback Matt Dufty indefinitely to a shoulder injury.
Elsewhere, Gold Coast have also copped some pain.
Herman Ese’ese avoided his high shot on Brian To’o being considered reckless but could still miss either three or four games for the careless tackle.
Tyrone Peachey was charged with a crusher tackle on Liam Martin that threatens to sideline him for two games regardless of the plea.
Penrith had better news with Moses Leota and Dylan Edwards able to take fines for their indiscretions, as can Melbourne prop Christian Welch.
The Panthers’ Martin was not charged for leading with the forearm while fending off Tanah Boyd.
The charges came after a weekend in which three players were sent off across the round for the first time since 1999, while 14 sin bins equalled the record for the NRL era.
Centre
Roar Rookie
That’s the only way we will get rid of him. Coach definitely has him in the Saint George Illawarra Broncos team long term. It doesn’t matter how badly he plays he remains in the team. All we hope is that they don’t sign him after this season. Like many. I don’t get why Clune has never been in the team over the last weeks. Too many has been Queenslanders in the team. They don’t have the passion for the club like our local guys. Letting Cam go was one of many mistakes this year that have led to the heart of the team dying. When our local young guys play you can see their passion.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I don’t agree with that I don’t think Fuimaono meant to hit Papenhuyzen in the head and knock him out But he did see a falling player in front of him who’d passed the ball and took the opportunity to put a big, high shot on him. It was a high risk, low margin of error play and completely avoidable It went badly wrong and Fuimaono deserves the consequences not for deliberately knocking Papenhuyzen out, but for deliberately choosing the high risk play
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yep I think Burr is the only one who can claim to be harshly treated He stood his ground against a falling Tedesco and didn’t use his falling as an opportunity to try and smash him and lose control of the tackle. Burr’s should be held up as an example of what defenders should do when an attacking player is falling in the tackle opposed to Niukore, Pereira and Fuimaono whose eyes lit up In a way it’s a missed opportunity for the NRL to show “hey do this instead of knocking his block off”
andrew
Roar Rookie
Was listening to Tunksy a while back fark and he reckons Dufty's best position is five eighth. His cut out passes are Wally Lewis like at times.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Mushi ,just lucky I guess.Moose lived up to expectations .I’m pretty confident guys like JWH ,Fafita,TPJ ,Kafusi will not disappoint us during the blitz and incur the wrath of officialdom.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Haven’t watched many Drags game but The little I’ve seen - he’ s brilliant in attack,but according to those close to the club his Defence is a concern and his organising the Teams Defence. Unfortunately for Dufty there are so many 1st class FB’ s around at the moment to compare.Turbo Teddy Paps RTS,Gutho ,CNK...the lists goes on. I’d be happy to have him at the Sharks, not trying do denegrate W . Kennedy ,who I see as WIP.I presume Hook doesn’t rate him or is he’s not following instructions.
Phil
Roar Rookie
McGuire...............there is nothing positive he brings to the team. I was hoping he would have a longer suspension, say the rest of the season.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
A lot of accidents can be avoided by being more careful. Hitting an opponent with everything but the kitchen sink around the shoulders , which then slides up and sends him to Disney World, after connecting with the melon, is avoidable. Aim a lot lower. Crocker sent Brett Stewart to Disneyland in the 2007 GF and these days he would sent off. Back then it was Brett Stewart carted off and everyone happy it was an ''accident''. It's mauling someone and pretending it's an accident.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
Now if Norman can just get suspended the Dragons might be in with a chance.
theHunter
Guest
You say "Simple" that it is in black and white to hit a player's neck or head then take a seat. But if you re-read the directive "may" is used twice before it continues by stating players to be placed on report, sin-binned or sent off. Don't you think this was intentionally put in there perhaps because a ref should at least be given a chance to determine what the penalty is according to how he saw it? Whether the forceful or forced action was malicious, accidental, plain reckless or a combination? He is in the middle of the action, I'm sure he will know what to do now that they've been given the green light to start stamping down on high tackle but to sin bin everything to me is a little too over the top. Accidents happen. If the ref deems it reckless or intentional than fine but if it’s purely an accident with no malice or intent then what’s the sin bin for then? We are trying to stamp out high shots, I understand that, but if accidents are going to be a sin bin or sent off, I can’t wait for when more than 2 players are sent off for accidents to see how you all will react to that. The one thing this directive only brings is to stamp out high shots that are reckless and/or are intentional but will only minimize accidents. Accidents by definition is unavoidable. If the intent and recklessness are negligible in an incident, it should be seen as such, the player placed on report for further investigation and game continues.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
As I've said elsewhere, I'm just really thankful that Maguire left the Cowbies. He was on the nose badly with the sprays he directed at teammates after a loss was one thing but the heinous dog acts against opposition shows his true character. Clearly his intent was to cause an injury to the fox, this bloke is a dinosaur and needs to be put on notice that being in the NRL is a privilege and not a right.
Paul
Roar Guru
the move to the Dragons from the Cowboys. I'm sure he's trying but he's falling short of the mark at the moment, IMO
no one in particular
Roar Guru
You just did
mushi
Roar Guru
Just didn't have more suspensions than the Golden gate bridge to add to the loading?
mushi
Roar Guru
Even JWH seems to have figured it out...
Tom G
Roar Rookie
For a club that hasn’t set the world alight with recruitment over the past few years McGuire is one of its strangest signings. He can always be counted on for at least a handful of weeks out from suspension
GregM
Roar Rookie
McGuires career is full of “dumb moves” – eye gouges, high hits, verbal abuse of officials. He obviously wraps the tape around his melon too tight – it cuts of circulation to his brain
Tony
Roar Guru
Just give the number 1 jersey to Ramsay
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Yeah, Simms got one week grade 2 dangerous contact. A bit lucky. Burr from the Cows ( sin binned) got $ 1500 fine. Nipple to the head. Grade 1. Robbo says ( and I find myself agreeing with a lot he says) we need to align the onfield penalty with the potential punishment. Now its impossible to do that perfectly but it was obvious at the time Burr did little wrong and penalty and on report sufficient. If they did that I don't think he even gets fined.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
it was a textbook dangerous tackle, and the punishment is 3 weeks. It is longer because he has carryover points and history I don't know what chasing Mbye on 400k will achieve