NRL judiciary news 2023: South Sydney’s Tom Burgess cops hefty ban, Titan Moeaki Fotuaika suspension after send-off

The NRL has come down hard on high tackles this weekend, with South Sydney’s Tom Burgess facing a massive ban to join Gold Coast’s Moeaki Fotuaika on the sideline this weekend.

Titans star Moeaki Fotuaika was sent-off for a high shot on Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Picture: NRL Imagery.

The match review committee has landed a blow to South Sydney’s finals push with key forward Thomas Burgess facing a month on the sidelines.

Burgess was whacked with a grade two careless high tackle for a shot on Cronulla’s Tom Hazelton, which attracts a three-week ban with an early plea.

If Burgess challenges the charge at the judiciary and loses, he’ll spend four weeks on the sideline.

Burgess was sinbinned for the ball and all tackle on Hazelton in the 76th minute of Cronulla’s 26-16 win over the Bunnies.

Burgess rushed from the line to put the shot on Hazelton, that left the Cronulla forward stunned by the impact.

Referee Todd Smith ruled Burgess had made contact with Hazelton’s head and marched the Rabbitohs prop.

“There is shoulder contact to the head,” Smith said.

Thomas Hazelton was forced from the field after the high shot from Burgess. Picture: Getty

Replays of the incident during the broadcast, which cast doubt over head contact, led Fox League commentator Mal Meninga to question the sinbinning.

“I think the Burgess incident was a bit harsh,” Meninga said.

“What is wrong with being aggressive? What is wrong with getting off the line and getting in with intent? I’m not quite sure.”

The MRC charge could not have come at a worse time for the Rabbitohs, as they cling on to eighth spot on the ladder - and the possibility of also being without Maroons forward Jai Arrow.

Arrow looked in agony after he emerged from a tackle clutching at his back in the 53rd minute.

Jai Arrow is also in doubt for the Rabbitohs after he left the field with a back injury. Picture: Getty

He was helped from the field by medical staff but did not return, and now faces a stint on the sidelines.

Only two weeks ago, the Rabbitohs also released forward Liam Knight to the Bulldogs - a move that could now potentially put even more strain on coach Jason Demetriou’s forward stocks.

Elsewhere, North Queensland hooker Jake Granville was hit with a grade one careless high tackle on Brisbane’s Jesse Arthars and is facing a $1,000 fine with an early plea.

Newcastle’s Lachlan Fitzgibbon is also set to be out of pocket $1,000 after he was charged with grade one dangerous contact on Dolphin Jamayne Isaako.

TITANS STAR COPS BAN FOR UGLY HIGH SHOT

By Travis Meyn

Titans prop Moe Fotuaika is facing a one-match ban for the tackle on Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad that saw him controversially sent off.

Fotuaika was marched from the field in the 17th minute of Friday night’s clash at Cbus Super Stadium after leaving Nicoll-Klokstad concussed with the high shot.

Titans coach Jim Lenihan said a send-off wasn’t warranted and the decision ruined the contest, with the brave Gold Coast losing 28-18 after running out of gas in the final minutes of a dramatic game.

Now Fotuaika is facing a stint on the sidelines after being hit with a grade two careless high tackle charge by the NRL’s match review committee.

Fotuaika will miss next Friday’s clash with Cronulla if he enters an early guilty plea, but risks a two-game ban if he fights the charge and is unsuccessful at the judiciary.

Fotuaika became the second player sent off this weekend after Roosters forward Nathan Brown was marched on Thursday night for a high shot on Manly’s Ben Trbojevic.

The NRL has insisted there is no high tackle crackdown and the incidents were assessed on merit.

Titans star Moeaki Fotuaika was sent-off for a high shot on Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Picture: NRL Imagery.

REBORN JOHNSON SPARKS WARRIORS CHARGE

By Travis Meyn

Gold Coast prop Moe Fotuaika was sent off as the reborn Shaun Johnson inspired the Warriors to a 28-18 win against the tenacious Titans in a spiteful affair on Friday night.

Fotuaika became the second player sent off this round after rubbing Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad out of the game with a brutal high shot in the 17th minute.

The pro-Warriors crowd of 20,877 at Cbus Super Stadium were treated to a dramatic contest as the 12-man Titans fought gallantly until the end.

But the rusty Warriors continued their 2023 resurrection, clinching their 13th win of the season to remain in the NRL’s top four heading into the final month of the regular season.

MOE-MENT OF MADNESS

Fotuaika is one of the nicest men in the NRL but he is now facing a ban following the ugly shot on Nicoll-Klokstad.

Fotuaika collected him flush on the jaw and he failed a head injury assessment.

The last send-off before this season was in round 2 – now there have been two in the first two games of round 23.

The NRL insists there is no crackdown but the decision to send Roosters firebrand Nathan Brown off on Thursday night appears to have lowered the threshold.

Thoughts with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad who failed his HIA after this blow to the head. Is his 3rd documented concussion this season, with the most recent one coming just over 3 months ago. Already looking unlikely to play next week with NRL’s concussion protocol stand down period pic.twitter.com/3B13QG04IY

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) August 4, 2023

The Brown send-off was controversial but Fotuaika had little to argue about and his season may be over.

“If you compare the (Brown tackle), it wasn’t the same sort of thing,” Titans coach Jim Lenihan said.

“I don’t think Moe was coming off the ground recklessly. Maybe 10 minutes (in the sin bin) was sufficient,

“I don’t know if it justifies to ruin the game. It put us under a hell of a lot of pressure and the game was pretty much over at that point.

“We had no warning (on an NRL crackdown). I don’t think Moe was overly aggressive coming out of the line.

“It’s a body contact sport played at high velocity and those things will happen at time to time.

“I thought the send-off was harsh for us.”

In a heated affair, it was 12-on-12 for 10 minutes midway through the first half after Warriors forward Marata Niukore was ridiculously sin-binned for slapping David Fifita.

Marata Niukore was sent to the sin bin for slapping David Fifita across the face. Picture: NRL Imagery.

TENACIOUS TITANS

They didn’t get the win but this was one of Gold Coast’s most spirited performances of the season.

Down to 12 men for 63 minutes, the Titans levelled scores at 18-all in the 63rd minute when fullback Jayden Campbell raced 90m to score from an intercept.

The Titans completed at 86 per cent and defended stoically all night after losing AJ Brimson (rib) in the warm-up and then Fotuaika.

But they ran out of juice, with the Warriors sealing victory with two tries in the final seven minutes to Tohu Harris and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

“I’m definitely proud, for 63 minutes we were down to 12,” Lenihan said.

“To still be 18-all with six minutes to go…I thought they were really brave and I was proud of them.

“We just wanted to work harder at being a more trustworthy team that works hard.”

While the Titans have only won two of their past seven games, they have shown plenty of grit under interim coach Jim Lenihan and should be proud of that effort.

Down a man for most of the game the Titans still produced some magic moments, including a length of the field intercept try by Jayden Campbell. Picture: Getty Images.

DALLY M DRAMA

Could Johnson be robbed of his first Dally M Medal by his disgruntled colleagues?

That’s a distinct possibility if the players ramp up their industrial action against the NRL and boycott the Dally M Awards.

Johnson must be in contention for the NRL’s top individual honour after bursting back to life in his return to the Warriors.

He tore the Titans apart, scoring the Warriors’ first two tries before setting up backrower Jackson Ford early in the second half.

It would be a travesty if he wins the medal and it isn’t awarded due to a player strike.

Shaun Johnson could be a good chance of winning the Dally M medal … assuming players don’t boycott the awards night. Picture: Getty Images.

ONCE AGAIN WARRIORS

The win was the Warriors’ fifth straight away from New Zealand this year – a feat they haven’t achieved since 2002.

And they don’t face another top eight team this season, with games against the Tigers, Sea Eagles, Dragons and Dolphins heading into the finals.

“Sometimes you’ve got to win ugly. We’re all understanding it definitely was ugly,” Warriors coach Andrew Webster said.

“We’ve got to make adjustments when different things change. Our boys tried hard again.

“We didn’t nail what we wanted to do tonight and didn’t adjust. We’ve got to get better than that.

“I just want to win as many games as we can (in this final month). I want to walk off proud of the performance.”

A top four finish seems a certainty and the Warriors could push for the top two given the soft draw ahead of them.

If they secure a top two finish the Warriors will be odds-on to make the grand final.

Wouldn’t that be a story?

Originally published as NRL judiciary news 2023: South Sydney’s Tom Burgess cops hefty ban, Titan Moeaki Fotuaika suspension after send-off