Parramatta forward Nathan Brown’s brain explosion could cost him a finals appearance after being hit with a grade two shoulder charge for his hit on Canterbury’s Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
Brown faces a two or three-week suspension for the shocking act, which earned him 10 minutes in the sin bin during the Eels’ 12-6 loss to the Bulldogs that rocked their top-four hopes.
He will miss key clashes against Brisbane and Manly, as well as the first round of the finals if he fights the charge and loses.
Canterbury’s Reimis Smith, meanwhile, will miss a week with an early guilty plea for his headbutt on Parramatta winger Maika Sivo.
The NRL match review committee hit Smith with a grade one striking charge for the offence, for which he too spent 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Canterbury coach Dean Pay didn’t mince his words on Thursday night when reminded that Brown had attempted a few similar tackles in the first half.
“He was having a go all right. He was consistent,” Pay said.
But with two games remaining before the finals, the last thing the Eels need is to lose their inspirational forward leader for a silly shot that was always going to end in strife.
With the scores locked at 6-all early in the second half, the game exploded when both teams were left with 12 men after Brown and Reimis Smith were sin binned in the space of two minutes.
Brown shot out of the line and didn’t miss.
Watene-Zelezniak had to leave the field with a shoulder injury although he did return after receiving treatment.
“I didn’t have a real close look at it but I thought his arm was away from his body,” Arthur said.
The incident sparked an all-in melee when Josh Jackson had words with Brown and players came rushing in from everywhere.
Two minutes later Smith found himself in trouble when he lunged his head at Maiko Sivo that cut the big Fijian winger’s face.
Pay was less than impressed, believing Brown was lucky to escape with a sin bin.
“If Reimis got 10 minutes, there is a big difference in it,” Pay said.
Replies
I'll take two weeks, surprised he didn't cop more.
It’s going to make winning the next two a very tough proposition. Brown holds that middle together.
Well our pack are just gonna have to lift their collective socks right up then!
Judging by his after game demeanour, browny must’ve been copping a bit more than we could see behind the scenes.
its rare to see players react the way brown did after the game...must’ve been good reason.
Super lucky. Late and a shoulder charge. He’s been a good boy for a while so no reason to ruin his year. Early guilty and take the two weeks.
This is so ridiculous. It means we'll go the entire season and not fielding a full strength team for even one game.
So Smith misses a week, the Bronco player last week gets off, Ponga gets off, BUT Brown gets 2 to 3 weeks! So the NRL sure is consistent alongside their Gestapo Referees. They wonder why NRL fans are leaving the sport in droves! As a recent article stated, because of "inconsistency" with the judicial system. What a joke@
He'll take the early plea for sure, I thought he was looking at 5 weeks.
Could be a blessing in disguise, he'll be back fresh for the finals and it gives a bench player a chance to fine tune.
So a head butt is less of an offence than a shoulder charge! Wow this game has lost the plot
I thought the same hindy, Pay should keep his mouth shut, a head butt is send-off offence and one of lowest a dog acts only surpassed by an eye gouge. He should get 6 weeks if not more.