Star Sydney Roosters winger Dominic Young is set to face a two-week suspension following a Grade 3 careless high tackle charge. The former Newcastle Knight was shown a red card during Friday night’s match after his high tackle forced Canterbury fullback Blake Taaffe to leave the field due to concussion.
Despite the sending off, the NRL chose not to charge him with a reckless high tackle. This means, as it is his first offense, he can accept a two-match ban with an early guilty plea or risk a third match suspension if he contests the charge at the judiciary.
Young’s high tackle left the Roosters with only 12 players for nearly an hour of play against the Bulldogs, adding to their woes as they fell behind 18-0 in a difficult start to the match. Further complicating matters, Sam Walker and James Tedesco both suffered concussions in the first half.
Although the severity of the tackle seemed significant, coach Trent Robinson disputed the decision in the post-match press conference. He acknowledged that the contact was to the jaw but argued that it was open-handed and below shoulder height. Robinson expressed surprise at the interpretation of the incident and suggested it could set a new precedent for high tackles in the game.
Meanwhile, Canterbury prop Samuel Hughes was also charged for a tackle during the match. Hughes’ tackle on Joseph Suaalii appeared to be high, followed by throwing him to the ground. He has been charged with a Grade 1 dangerous throw, which carries a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea or $1500 if he contests and loses.
Despite the incident, Suaalii passed his concussion test, and the Bulldogs, who narrowly won the match, will be relieved that they won’t lose Hughes to suspension given their extensive injury list from the game.
In the meantime, Roosters’ forward Victor Radley was reported and temporarily removed from the game for a hip drop tackle, a decision that sparked controversy. This left the Roosters with only 11 players on the field for ten minutes. However, Radley has not been formally charged by the NRL’s match review committee for the tackle.
Hughes and Young have until midday (AEDT) on Sunday to decide whether they will accept early guilty pleas or contest the charges at the judiciary hearing scheduled for Tuesday evening.
