By Christian Nicolussi
Parramatta are privately fuming about Daly Cherry-Evans not being sent to the sin bin for a tackle that has left the Sea Eagles skipper facing his first suspension in 313 NRL games.
The Eels were angry about several calls that went against them during the 32-18 loss to Manly on Friday night – and their mood did not improve when the charge sheet was released by the match review committee on Saturday.
A big turning point in the game was Maika Sivo being sent to the sin bin late in the second half for elbowing Reuben Garrick in the face while the match was in the balance.
Sivo was handed a grade-one dangerous contact charge and can escape with a $3000 fine.
However, Cherry-Evans, who was not punished on the field for a lifting tackle on Shaun Lane, faces a two-match ban, along with teammate Haumole Olakau’atu.
Playing against 11 men would clearly have helped the blue and golds, who are struggling near the foot of the ladder and need a win to ease pressure on coach Brad Arthur. They have the bye next weekend followed by the Broncos at home and then the Storm in Brisbane.
Maika Sivo is sent to the sin bin minutes after scoring a hat-trick.Credit: Getty
Arthur made it known he was unhappy with Will Penisini being sent to the sin bin for a tackle on Tom Trbojevic, who the Eels coach said was in an offside position when he chased through a Luke Brooks kick.
The Eels also plan to ask the NRL how Dylan Brown was penalised for not being square at marker, despite different video angles proving otherwise.
Manly on Saturday asked lawyer Nick Ghabar to review the tackle on Lane, who passed his HIA and returned to the game.
“It wasn’t like a typical lifting tackle; he hit him through the stomach, which is a really good tackle,” Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold said of Olakau’atu’s effort on Lane.
Shaun Lane is tackled by Haumole Olakau’atu and Daly Cherry-Evans.Credit: Channel Nine
“And then ‘Chez’ [Cherry-Evans] was on top. He did land in an unfortunate position. But he came back on and played the rest of the game. I thought 10 minutes was sufficient for the tackle, so hopefully nothing more comes with that.”
Cherry-Evans added: “I definitely had a role in the tackle. It just overcompensated what was happening in the tackle. Ten minutes in the bin was probably fair. I’d like to think that’s hopefully all and we’ll move on.”
Should Manly and Ghabar seek a downgrade to a grade-one dangerous throw, Cherry-Evans and Olakau’atu can escape with $1000 fines.
The Sea Eagles will reference a comparable case from 2022, when Jackson Hastings and Joe Ofahengaue, then playing for Wests Tigers, were both charged for lifting Newcastle’s Tex Hoy into a dangerous position.
Jackson Hastings and Joe Ofahengaue lift Newcastle’s Tex Hoy into a dangerous position in 2022.Credit: Nine
Ofahengaue, who was holding Hoy’s upper body, similar to Cherry-Evans’ role on Friday at 4 Pines Park, was handed a grade-one offence and fined. Hastings was charged with a grade-two offence.
The Sea Eagles, who are in the top four on the ladder, face Canberra and the Dolphins in the next fortnight.
Should Cherry-Evans be suspended, it will pave the way for Jake Arthur – Brad Arthur’s son – or Brandon Wakeham to step into the halves. Wakeham and Brooks played together at the Tigers last season.
Eels forward Ryan Matterson was also charged with a careless high tackle on Brooks, but only risks a $1000 fine.
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