Sia Soliola sent straight to NRL judiciary for hit on Billy Slater

SIA Soliola’s sickening hit on Melbourne’s Billy Slater has been deemed so serious that it was passed straight to the judiciary without a grading.

Sia Soliola‘s shot on Billy Slater.

CANBERRA Raiders forward Sia Soliola will head straight to judiciary on Tuesday night over his sickening hit on Melbourne Billy Slater.

The tackle that left Slater concussed and having to be carried off on a stretcher was deemed so serious by the match review panel that it was passed straight to the judiciary without a grading.

It is rare for the NRL not to grade a charge.

Sia Soliola‘s shot on Billy Slater.

The Storm were furious that Soliola wasn’t sent off on Saturday night for the incident shortly after half-time, which left the premiership favourites without both their champion fullback and skipper Cameron Smith, who had come off at the break with an injury.

Tuesday night’s hearing is expected to be the most widely scrutinised of the NRL season.

Canberra’s season of woe is set to get even worse with winger Jordan Rapana also facing suspension. Rapana faces a one-two week ban after being cited for a shoulder charge on Storm forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona.