Imperfect Storm: Match review committee whacks Bulldogs star as Storm duo not charged following controversial Magic Round finish

The Bulldogs will be without one of their most important players for at least the next three weeks, while a couple of Melbourne forwards have avoided sanction.

Storm duo Trent Loiero and Stefano Utoikamanu have not been charged by the match review committee despite both being penalised during Sunday’s controversial loss to the Raiders, while Bulldogs star Jacob Preston is facing a hefty ban for a crusher tackle at Magic Round.

Loiero was penalised for a high shot in golden point and also for foul play that cost his side a field goal, while Utoikamanu was sent to the sin bin for his role in a melee that cost the Storm possession while in field-goal range during extra time.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy conceded his players needed to be more disciplined in key moments, but neither player being charged supports public outcry that the premiership favourites were hard done by with the match on the line.

Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen was clearly frustrated by the calls after the game, telling ABC Sport “he’s gonna be on report for that and watch him get off it”.

GOLDEN POINT CHAOS... and Craig Bellamy will be FUMING!

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While the finish to that game was controversial, the perceived crackdown from round 8 appears well and truly over after charges were slashed in half in Brisbane where sin bins, fines and suspensions were all down on the previous week.

There were fears that Magic Round could be ruined by bunker intervention, but the officials backed up promises from the NRL last week that the threshold would be changed for video referee interference.

After a staggering 18 sin bins were dished out in round 8, only six players were marched during the eight games at Suncorp Stadium, and none of them were for high contact.

Two players spent time off the field for professional fouls, another two were punished for a golden-point scuffle, Preston was marched for a crusher tackle, while Brian Kelly was sent to the sin bin for being offside at a scrum.

Jacob Preston is facing at least a three-game ban for a crusher tackle against the Titans. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

There were 20 charges handed out in round 8 and players missed a combined 16 weeks through suspension, while fines totalled $14,350 for the round to take the season figure beyond $100,000.

But there were only eight charges at Magic Round, with players to pay $7350 in fines if they take the early guilty plea.

Preston won’t be so lucky, with the edge forward’s third and subsequent offence set to rule him out for at least the next three weeks to add to Canterbury’s suspension woes, while North Queensland’s Reuben Cotter has been offered two games for a high shot.

The Bulldogs were already without Matt Burton, Josh Curran and Sitili Tupouniua after they were all suspended for round 8, with Preston to be a huge loss on the right edge.

Originally published as Imperfect Storm: Match review committee whacks Bulldogs star as Storm duo not charged following controversial Magic Round finish