NRL casualty ward: Kurt Mann breaks collarbone, Stephen Crichton charged

In a double blow for the Bulldogs, utility forward Kurt Mann is facing six weeks on the sideline while the match review committee has charged captain Stephen Crichton.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 22: Haumole Olakau'atu of the Sea Eagles is sent to the sin bin during the round 25 NRL match between Wests Tigers and Manly Sea Eagles at Leichhardt Oval on August 22, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

The Bulldogs ability to run deep into the finals will determine if key forward Kurt Mann plays again this season.

Mann suffered a broken collarbone against the Warriors on Friday night and will require surgery.

He is facing six weeks out, needing the Dogs to push towards the grand final to play again this season.

The club is also poised to lose superstar Stephen Crichton for their biggest game of the year against Manly next Friday after being charged by the NRL match review committee.

Crichton was dealt a grade two careless high tackle charge for a high shot on Warriors opposite Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

The Bulldogs centre will receive a one-match ban with an early guilty plea, or two matches if he fights the charge and is unsuccessful at the judiciary.

Meanwhile, Warriors duo Jazz Tevaga and Addin Fonua-Blake, Broncos backrower Brendan Piakura and Parramatta’s Reagan Campbell-Gillard have all escaped with fines for low-end charges.

SEA EAGLES STARS NOW ON FINALS TIGHTROPE

Manly’s horror showing against the Wests Tigers has been compounded with the NRL’s match review committee charging three players.

A trio of Sea Eagles forwards — Haumole Olakau’atu, Corey Waddell and Taniela Paseka — have been hit with careless high tackle charges.

Waddell and Paseka share the rare distinction that their respective charges came in the same tackle – a 65th minute high shot on Tigers winger Solomon Alaimalo, which resulted in Waddell becoming the third Sea Eagles player sin-binned in the 34-26 loss at Leichhardt Oval.

Haumole Olakau'atu of the Sea Eagles is sent to the sin bin for tackling too hard. Picture: Getty Images

Waddell’s charge is the most serious. The back-rower – who has just re-signed for a further three seasons – faces a two-game ban for his careless grade-two charge. If Waddell fights the charge and loses, he will be rubbed out for three games. If he opts for an early guilty plea, Waddell will miss the rest of Manly’s regular season — Friday night’s blockbuster against his former club, Canterbury, and the final-round clash with Cronulla.

“I’m not going to make any excuses, our discipline was poor,” Manly coach Anthony Seibold said.

The news was a little better for teammates Olakau’atu and Paseka because the pair can escape suspension with early guilty pleas.

Olakau’atu will be fined $3000 as it is his third offence. That means the NSW back-rower will be walking a finals tight rope because any further charges would instantly result in, at least, a one-game ban.

Another game to be decided by a referee. Disgraceful penalty on Jurbo for great tackle changed momentum of the game. Now a sin bin. It’s a friggen joke

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) August 22, 2024

Sin bin Haumole Olakau'atu - TACKLING TOO HARD!!!

— The Mole (@9_Moley) August 22, 2024

Olakau’atu still has his Origin melee charge on his record, plus a Round 19 shoulder charge which led to a $3000 fine as well.

He was sin-binned for his 46th-minute high shot on Tigers fullback Heath Mason.

Paseka has to pay $1000 for his tackle on Alaimalo.

The Sea Eagles lost their grip on a potential top-four spot after they blew a 16-0 lead to go down 34-26 against a gallant Tigers team.

Manly are stranded on 31 competition points, three adrift of fourth-placed Cronulla, and slipped to seventh on the ladder courtesy of North Queensland having the bye.

“We were outplayed, that is disappointing because we had a whole heap to play for ourselves,” Seibold said.

“Ultimately, we got what we deserved.

“We’ll go back and prepare well because we’ve got a big game against the Bulldogs next Friday night.

“We know how well they’ve been playing. It’s disappointing, but it’s not the end of the world.

“We’re fighting in this competition and we’ll go again.”

Should the Roosters and Sharks — who are third and fourth respectively and both on 34 points — win just one of their remaining three games, the Sea Eagles will be unable to break into the top four.

The Roosters face the Gold Coast, Canberra and South Sydney, while Cronulla finish their season against St George Illawarra, New Zealand and Manly.

With their top-four hopes out of their control, the Sea Eagles now face the possibility of finishing in the bottom-two finals spots, which means they would miss out on a home final.

They can still mathematically miss the top eight, if they lose their remaining two games and the Dolphins win their final three fixtures against Melbourne, Brisbane and Newcastle.