NRLW week two: Dragons winger Madison Bartlett to answer biting charge at judiciary
Dragons winger Madison Bartlett will miss the big top-of-the-table match against the Broncos after being hit with a one-match ban for biting, but the sentence could have been much worse.
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Dragons NRLW winger Madison Bartlett has been banned for one game for biting Parramatta playmaker Sereana Naitokatoka in their Round 2 clash last weekend.
The NRL judiciary on Tuesday night suspended the 27-year-old for one week after she pleaded guilty to a dangerous contact (biting) charge in the game at WIN Stadium.
In making their decision, the panel, which consisted of Tony Puletua, Tarsha Gale and Dallas Johnson, took into consideration the current length of the NRLW season - which is seven matches in total including semi final and grand final.
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Her one game suspension is one-fifth of the regular season and rules her out for this week’s crucial top-of-the-table clash with the Broncos.
Bartlett appeared via video link during Tuesday night’s judiciary hearing in Sydney with her father Todd representing on behalf of her, after entering a guilty plea earlier in the day.
Her father made submissions the biting incident was an involuntary action as a result of Naitokatoka’s bicep being placed around her mouth, arguing it was a “reflex clench rather than a voluntary action”.
The NRL’s counsel Lachlan Gyles had argued for a lengthier suspension of two to three matches before a one hour deliberation from the panel resulted in a penalty of 100 points – or a one match suspension in context of the length of the season.
The incident occurred in the 38th minute of Sunday’s game when Bartlett returned the ball from a goal-line dropout, running straight into Eels five-eighth Naitokatoka.
The tackle seemed innocuous during live play with no immediate reaction by the Parramatta youngster, however she could be seen just moments later addressing a concern on her left arm with her club trainer.
It’s understood no official complaint was made on the field with no penalty or player put on report in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Titans forward Kevin Proctor is the most recent NRL player to be found guilty of the same charge when the NRL judiciary handed him a four-game suspension for biting then-Cronulla player Shaun Johnson in 2020.
It was a far lesser suspension than the one handed down on Bulldogs forward James Graham for biting then-Storm fullback Billy Slater during the 2012 NRL Grand Final, when he was banned for 12 matches.
Gold Coast fullback William Zillman has also been banned because of biting, sitting out four games in 2009 while former Bulldog Brad Morrin was suspended for eight games in 2007 for the same charge.
Major Roosters alarm as newcomers rule supreme
- Martin Gabor
They were tipped by some to be the main challengers for Brisbane’s title, but the Roosters are in real danger of slipping out of contention after a 26-16 loss to the Titans.
The two-time NRLW finalists are winless through the opening two rounds and there were some worrying signs in Sunday’s loss to the competition newcomers.
Coach John Strange was critical of his side’s abysmal handling in Round 1, but nothing changed at WIN Stadium as they coughed up 14 errors to gift Gold Coast their first-ever win.
Even when they showed glimpses of their best, they found ways to shoot themselves in the foot like when they mucked up the restart moments after Leianne Tufuga went over to get them on the board.
“It was like watching last week’s game. It didn’t seem too much different,” Strange said.
“We just shot ourselves in the foot over and over again.
“The positive is there are three games to go. If we win all three then we put ourselves in with a chance to be in the semis. Every (game) is must win.”
This is a team that boasts some of the biggest names in the women’s game, but it’s hard for their speedy backs to get in space when they get beaten through the middle; something not helped by the loss of several key forwards from the 2020 season.
They did close the gap to six points when Olivia Kernick crashed over with four minutes to go, but that’s as good as it got for the Roosters who need more from attacking weapons Jess Sergis and Isabelle Kelly, who combined for 118 metres.
DROUGHT IS OVER
She’s one of the game’s most prolific players at rep level, and Titans winger Karina Brown can now call herself an NRLW try-scorer.
Brown has had no problems scoring for the Maroons and Jillaroos, but it took her 12 games to get on the board in the NRLW.
It only took the Titans two games to pick up their first NRLW win after they joined the comp this year, and there should be more of those this season if experienced heads like Tazmin Gray and Brittany Breayley-Nati continue to dominate after they combined for three tries.
The news isn’t so good for Shannon Mato who was chaired from the field late with a lower-leg injury that left Mya Hill-Moana on report.
DAM SPILLS OVER
Spare a thought for Titans winger Lauren Dam who found out that when it rains on a footy field, it invariably pours.
Dam dropped two balls over the line in the second half, but in her defence, the ball was like a bar of soap after two weeks of non-stop rain.
Brilliant Broncos may now have two best players in world
Broncos star forward Millie Boyle might just be the best player in the world after another dazzling display in Brisbane’s comfortable 28-10 win over the Newcastle Knights.
After she scored and ran riot in the opening round, Boyle doubled down with her second four-pointer in the space of seven days as she terrorised her opposition middles on a sodden track in Wollongong.
Boyle and her incredible motor had 105 metres in the first half alone and finished the day with a whopping 181 – the most by a forward in NRLW history – to stake her claim as the best in the world.
The scary thing for other teams is that Boyle might not even be the best player at the Broncos. Fullback Tamika Upton continues to excel and added another try to extend her lead at the top of the NRLW charts with the seventh four-pointer of her career.
She is the best support player in the comp with silky hands, and those two skills were on show when she backed up a break and then looked inside to set up Shenae Ciesiolka for the first try of the second half.
CLOUD NINE
It’s not easy to get raps when you’re not one of the big names at the best club in the league, but Lauren Brown is proof that there are hidden gems waiting to be found.
Brown was an important part of the team that won in 2020 but she’s taken her game to new heights this year. She set the tone with a 40/30 in the first set with the wind at her back, played short to set up Boyle’s try and then forced a line dropout all in the first half.
FLASHY FINISH
The Knights are still waiting for their first NRLW win, but they’ll take a lot out of their finish to Sunday’s game against the competition heavyweights.
Newcastle really struggled to handle the wet and windy conditions for much of the contest, but at least they showed promising signs with a couple of late tries to give themselves a sniff before Amy Turner’s superb solo try sealed the deal for Brisbane.
Pearson star grows as Dragons edge Eels in rain
Dragons halfback Rachael Pearson has done her State of Origin hopes no harm after she helped guide St George Illawarra to a gritty 10-0 win over the Eels in torrential conditions at WIN Stadium.
Talking rep footy in March is usually a sin, but it’s quite topical right now with Pearson’s teammates calling for her to make her NSW debut later in the year after a strong start to her NRLW career.
To get the No.7 jersey she must first unseat incumbent halfback Maddie Studdon, and she took the first step with another strong showing to help beat her rival on Sunday.
Pearson scored the only try of the first half and then converted from a tricky position as she even cracked a smile with the two black eyes she picked up from her NRLW debut last week.
Studdon had her own moment from the kick-off when she used the wind to find touch, but she didn’t take advantage of the gale at her back in the second half.
This was not a game suited to playmakers as the players had to contend with some of the most violent weather ever seen on a footy field with plenty of kicks stopping dead in pools of water.
With points at a premium, Pearson waded through the puddles to knock over two late penalties to put the result beyond doubt with 10 minutes to go.
HOUSE IN TROUBLE
Dragons forward Kody House is facing a nervous wait for the charge sheet to drop after she was placed on report for a late shot that also doubled as a shoulder charge.
A suspension is the last thing the Dragons need after they headed into Sunday’s game without three injured stars, including skipper Kezie Apps who was ruled out with a hand injury.
“It’s a bit of a brain snap,” Sam Bremner said in the half-time show.
THIS IS BO’S HOUSE
There weren’t many highlights for the Eels on Sunday, but fullback Botille Vette-Welsh managed to produce the try-saver of the season to keep her side in the contest.
It looked for all money like House would drag Studdon over for a try in the second half, but Vette-Welsh had other ideas as she got under the ball and forced it loose to somehow deny the Dragons a certain four points.
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