South Sydney captain Cameron Murray is out for the season after failing in his bid to have his ban downgraded at the NRL judiciary.
Murray was controversially sin-binned for the clash with Newcastle’s Tyson Frizell, which was later graded as a Grade 2 careless high tackle with an attached penalty of two games with an early guilty plea.
But that has now blown out to three matches and will impact his availability for Mal Meninga’s Australian squad in the end-of-season Pacific Championships.
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The Rabbitohs face the Panthers this week and will finish the year with a game against the Roosters.
Earlier today, Sydney Roosters departing prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves accepted his three-match ban for the shot he laid on ex-teammate Sam Verrills during Sunday’s win over Gold Coast.
Had Waerea-Hargreaves unsuccessfully fought the charge, as he did his last suspension, the ban would have increased to four games and extended to the Roosters’ second finals game.
That could have left the win over Gold Coast as Waerea-Hargreaves’ last NRL game, given he joins English Super League side Hull KR in 2025.
By pleading guilty to the high tackle on Tuesday, the 35-year-old looks to have guaranteed himself at least one more game, given the Roosters appear destined for a top-four finish and a second chance in finals.
