Dragons weigh up rare hip-drop judiciary fight for de Belin

Dragons forward Jack de Belin could be one of the few players to challenge the NRL’s hip-drop adjudication as he tries to avoid a ban which would almost rub him out for the rest of the season.

While Manly counts the cost of Christian Tuipulotu’s knee injury which is expected to keep him out for up to a month, St George Illawarra spent Sunday night weighing up whether to fight a charge at the judiciary.

The match review committee hit de Belin with a grade two dangerous contact charge for his tackle on Sea Eagles winger Tuipulotu in Manly’s drought-breaking victory at WIN Stadium on Saturday night.

It will carry a three-week ban with an early guilty plea and four weeks if he unsuccessfully fights it at the judiciary.

But with the chance to escape with a fine if he can get a downgrade, the Dragons were leaning towards becoming one of the few clubs to roll the dice at the judiciary with the controversial tackle technique the NRL has clamped down on in 2023.

The NRL bunker advised de Belin be sin-binned after reviewing the tackle during the game.

St George Illawarra forward Jack de Belin.Credit: Getty

St George Illawarra face the Eels, Rabbitohs, Storm and Warriors in the next month as they try to edge away from the Tigers and the wooden spoon, and would be dreading the prospect of tackling such a tough run without de Belin — one of their most consistent performers this season.

Manly coach Anthony Seibold is resigned to losing Tuipulotu for several weeks after the speedster was sent for scans on Sunday to assess the damage to a medial ligament injury.

The Sea Eagles will continue to press their finals claims against the Roosters at the SCG on Thursday night with the possibility of a return for Ben Trbojevic.

But Tuipulotu will join a casualty ward already featuring Tom Trbojevic, Josh Aloiai and Taniela Paseka, who was hurt in a tackle which saw Cronulla back-rower Jesse Colquhoun suspended only a week earlier.

The Panthers were also stung by the match review committee on Sunday with utility Tyrone Peachey handed a grade three careless high tackle charge for a shot on Cronulla’s Jack Williams. Peachey was also sent to the sin-bin, but it didn’t trouble the Panthers, who swept to a 28-0 win at BlueBet Stadium.

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