Panthers star charged after ref misses blatant high shot

Brent Naden could be recalled to the Panthers after Paul Momirovski was offered a two-game suspension for a high shot on Tom Dearden.

Paul Momirovski collected Tom Dearden around the neck.

Brent Naden could be recalled to play his first game for the Penrith Panthers this year with Paul Momirovski facing a two-week suspension for a high shot on Tom Dearden.

The incident did not warrant a penalty, with referees seemingly missing Momirovski collar Dearden around the neck in the 16th minute of the first half.

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“Momirovski definitely takes high Dearden out late and it looked a little dangerous,” Fox League’s Braith Anasta said.

“Usually given a penalty I would think. They’ve missed on there.”

“He ends up quite clearly around the head there of Tom Dearden,” Warren Smith added.

While it may not have been spotted at the time it came under scrutiny from the match review committee.

The Panthers centre was issued with a grade two dangerous contact (head/neck) charge and offered a two-game suspension with an early guilty plea. He will miss three weeks if he challenges the charge and is found guilty by the NRL Judiciary. The Panthers have until Saturday 12pm to enter a plea.

Paul Momirovski collected Tom Dearden around the neck.

Momirovski’s ban will likely see Naden come back into the side.

Naden is off-contract at the end of the year and has been linked to a potential switch to the Tigers and Bulldogs.

He did not feature for the Panthers in the opening four rounds of the season in a bid to redeem himself after testing positive for cocaine use on the night of the NRL grand final last year.

Naden played fullback in Penrith’s 24-10 win over the Raiders last week in the NSW Cup.

New recruit Robert Jennings is another option to fill the void should Momirovski be suspended.

Originally published as Panthers star charged after ref misses blatant high shot