NRL injury, suspension news round 20: Nelson Asofa-Solomona hit with two-week ban for elbowing Jake Simpkin
Melbourne’s loss to Manly has come at a further cost with enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona whacked with a suspension for an elbow on Sea Eagles hooker Jake Simpkin.
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Melbourne enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona is set to miss a crucial push for the top four over the next fortnight for elbowing Manly’s Jake Simpkin in the head during in Saturday’s loss at AAMI Park.
The NRL’s match review committee has whacked him with a two week suspension for the grade two dangerous contact charge, facing three weeks if he takes the case to the judiciary on Tuesday night.
It will come as a blow for the Storm who now sit third on the ladder on 30 points with seven rounds to go after Saturday’s shock 18-16 loss.
The Warriors, Brisbane and Panthers are breathing down their neck for a top four spot over the next few rounds, wtih Asofa-Soloma to miss games against Sydney Roosters and Parramatta.
Meanwhile, Bulldogs duo Max King (crusher tackle) and Jacob Kiraz (dangerous throw) have escaped with fines, as did Simpkin for a careless high tackle.
–Pamela Whaley
SOUTHS SWEAT ON SCANS AFTER LATEST INJURY BLOW
South Sydney might be forced to turn to part-time players in Townsville in a bid to avoid the wooden spoon after the horror injury toll worsened on Friday night.
It comes as scans cleared Roosters forward Victor Radley of a serious shoulder injury.
There were concerns that Radley had suffered a serious injury but he will need to manage the pain for the rest of the season in his shoulder. While Radley has been cleared to take on the Storm on Thursday night centre Billy Smith (concussion) is out.Their cross-town rivals will be battling to name a fully fit 21-man squad following the latest setbacks to Keaon Koloamatangi (ankle) and Peter Mamouzelos (concussion).
It may force South Sydney to look at their feeder relationship with Queensland Cup side Townsville Blackhawks. The Rabbitohs can call on Blackhawks players to fill the gap like they did last season when State of Origin III debutant Gehamat Shibasaki played one game for the club.
The Blackhawks, who had a bye this week, sit on top of the Queensland Cup ladder. Their squad has a sprinkling of NRL talent including ex-Kangaroo James Tamou, Matt Wright, Jayden Hodges, Bailey Biondi-Odo and Kalifa Faifai-Loa.
Winger Dudley Dotoi is the Queensland’s Cup leading tryscorer with 18 tries from 15 games.
The Rabbitohs could be missing up to 14 players from their top 30 squad to take on Cronulla on Saturday night. That includes Latrell Mitchell who will potentially miss the rest of the season after injuring his quadriceps at the captain’s run on Thursday.
Koloamatangi was sent for scans on Saturday with South Sydney hopeful he suffered a low grade syndesmosis which will sideline him for at least four weeks provided he avoids surgery. Mamouzelos will also miss the game.
The Rabbitohs had just two players in their top 30 – Shaq Mitchell and Thomas Fletcher – play in their NSW Cup side against St George Illawarra on Saturday.
The match review committee charged three players on Friday night with South Sydney’s Jamie Humphreys and Cronulla duo Blayke Brailey and Addin Founa-Blake were all fined for their respective grade one offences.
Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai is battling an ankle injury while Jesse Ramien – who missed the match because of a hamstring injury – will be right to play the Rabbitohs according to coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
“He has had surgery on his ankle a few years ago,” Fitzgibbon said on ABC Sport. “It stirs it up a bit. I don’t think it’s too bad but it will be 48 hours before we assess it. I don’t think it’s significant.
“ (Ramien) carried a little (hamstring strain) the week before and then had some signals there. At a pitch we might’ve thrown him out there … he should be right to play.”
In other injury news, Brian To’o (knee) is in doubt for Penrith’s game against the Tigers on Saturday as he deals with an ongoing ailment.
Meanwhile, a virus has swept through the Newcastle Knights with just six players reporting for training on Saturday. A dozen players were quarantined from the rest of the group with most at home after a severe bout of gastro.
CRONULLA STAR ESCAPES BAN FOR DANGEROUS THROW
– David Riccio and Michael Carayannis
The NRL’s in-form hooker Blayke Brailey has escaped suspension after being placed on-report on Friday night.
The outstanding Sharks hooker has been slugged by the NRL match review committee with a $1,000 fine for a grade one dangerous throw on Roosters centre Billy Smith.
Sharks teammate Addin Fonua-Blake has also been hit with a $1,500 fine for a grade one shoulder charge on rival prop Lindsay Collins.
Rabbitohs playmaker Jamie Humphreys has also escaped suspension with a $1,000 fine for a grade one dangerous contact charge on Penrith star Dylan Edwards.
Originally published as NRL injury, suspension news round 20: Nelson Asofa-Solomona hit with two-week ban for elbowing Jake Simpkin
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