NRL judiciary: Jason Taumalolo to serve two-match ban after being found guilty of grade 1 shoulder charge

THE Cowboys are suffering from a forwards crisis, after Jason Taumalolo was ruled out for two games by the NRL judiciary.

THE Cowboys are suffering from a forwards crisis, after Jason Taumalolo was ruled out for two games by the NRL judiciary.

The North Queensland wrecking ball will miss this Saturday’s clash with Manly and next week’s derby showdown against the Gold Coast after he was found guilty of a shoulder charge on Bronco Alex Glenn in Friday’s golden point win.

It will be a bitter pill for the Cowboys to swallow, given they also learnt this week that they will be without veteran forward Matt Scott (ACL) for the rest of the season.

The 2015 premiers will now head into Saturday’s home match without two of their most influential players.

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Taumololo’s is another body blow to the Titans.

Without those big names, the forward options appear limited for coach Paul Green, who will have to reshuffle his pack after naming Taumalolo in his 21-man squad on Tuesday.

It is expected 18th man and former Canberra workhorse Shaun Fensom could now make his Cowboys debut, with Blackhawks prop Corey Jensen and older forward Ben Spina his other options.

It is unclear if Fensom could start in Taumalolo’s place or if Ethan Lowe will move to lock and giant bench forward Coen Hess will come into the backrow to give the starting side more size.

Young prop Patrick Kaufusi has already been named in the No. 8 jersey to replace Scott while Sam Hoare was brought onto the bench.

Green refused to speculate on the changes but admitted waiting for Taumalolo’s verdict had been his “biggest headache” of the week.

The other big test for the Cowboys without their big-name forwards this week will be how they back up from their two consecutive golden point victories.

The Cowboys do not have to make their final decision on their line-up until Saturday, although two players will drop out of the squad on Friday night.

Green is the one who argued Tauamlolo’s case to the judiciary via video link last night, hitting back at the NRL’s suggestion that last year’s joint Dally M winner made no attempt to use his arms to properly tackle Glenn.

He said Glenn “spins out of the tackle” making it hard for Taumalolo to “get a grip” on him.

The three-man judiciary panel of Bob Lindner, Sean Garlick and Tony Puletua took almost half an hour to find Taumalolo guilty of the grade one charge.

Shaun Fensom could be recalled to make his Cowboys debut. Photo: Jono Searle.

The Cowboys cases were the first challenges of a shoulder charge after the NRL’s rules changed to state that a hit is considered a shoulder charge if a player does not attempt to use their arms (including his hands) and there is forceful contact.

Taumalolo had pleaded not guilty to a grade one charge for a hit on Brisbane’s Alex Glenn and was found guilty at Rugby League Central on Tuesday. He will now miss the next fortnight, deepening the Cowboy’s forwards crisis following a season-ending injury to co-captain Matt Scott.

The NRL judiciary decision comes days after the Cowboys also lost veteran Matt Scott for the season from an ACL injury.

Originally published as NRL judiciary: Jason Taumalolo to serve two-match ban after being found guilty of grade 1 shoulder charge