Penrith Panthers utility Travis Burns forced to look for a new club in 2013

PENRITH utility Travis Burns is fighting for his career after being told to find another club in the lead-up to last Sunday's disastrous outing.

PENRITH utility Travis Burns is fighting for his career after being told to find another club in the lead-up to last Sunday's disastrous outing.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Burns tackled the Roosters just days after club officials told him to look elsewhere in 2013 - the final year of his current contract.

The 28-year-old finished the afternoon in hot water after being sent off for a high shot and reported for a chicken wing tackle on, respectively, Roosters props Martin Kennedy and Mose Masoe.

Burns yesterday accepted a three-match ban for Masoe incident, but now risks a 12-week suspension after electing to seek a downgrade of the grade three intentional high tackle charge.

The 28-year-old won't learn his complete fate until next Wednesday night, with Penrith successfully applying for a stay of proceedings as they prepare to argue the Kennedy tackle should be deemed reckless. The verdict will have a huge impact on Burns' chances of finding a new club. Even a grade five reckless high tackle - the highest available in the lesser category - would cut his suspension in half.

Burns would only serve a maximum of six weeks should the judiciary be convinced the high shot was reckless rather than intentional. On top of the chicken wing suspension, he'd be facing a total of nine weeks out - six of which would expire this year.

That means Burns would only miss the first three matches of 2013, possibly trial games, and be available for round one selection next year. But the worst-case scenario would make Burns a tough sell for any NRL or UK Superleague club because he'd miss at least six premiership rounds.

While Burns displays tremendous competitiveness and aggression, coaching staff are concerned with his discipline.

Penrith would have to honour his contract, but have already made alternate future plans after a major roster shake-up this year.

Sika Manu, Lewis Brown, Wes Naqaima and James Segeyaro have all been recruited, while Luke Lewis and Michael Gordon are both headed to Cronulla.

It's also understood NRL prosecutor Peter Kite will rely on an alleged verbal exchange between Burns and Kennedy to prove the high shot was intentional but Kennedy can only recall "a bit of niggle in the play-the-ball" and even wished Burns well next week.

"It is just one of them things, he may have mistimed it and I probably fell into it a little bit as well," Kennedy said yesterday.

"I have definitely got no hard feelings and there is nothing I would hope that would happen to him."