Dave Taylor to cop ban and miss Origin III
The tackle: Dave Taylor on Scott Anderson. Picture: Fox Sports.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
QUEENSLAND are set to spare the public a repeat of the Johnathan Thurston judiciary saga, with forward Dave Taylor resigned to missing one of the most anticipated Origin deciders in memory.
The Daily Telegraph understands the Rabbitohs have all but accepted
Dave Taylor will be found guilty of a dangerous throw on Broncos prop
Scott Anderson on Friday, although the club last night refused to comment on the incident.
Souths will announce this morning if they intend to fight the match review panel's five-match suspension - Taylor's punishment if found guilty of a grade two dangerous throw - but a source close to Taylor said any challenge at the judiciary would be focused solely on seeking a downgrade.
That would rule the 22-year-old out of State of Origin III at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday.
"They're philosophical enough to know it isn't going to be easy to get him off," the source said. "We'll look at everything tonight to see what grounds we have, but everyone thinks all we can do is get it downgraded."
Taylor will today be named in a 19-man squad by Maroons coach Mal Meninga, but the Queensland camp will be preparing for the decider under the assumption they will be without the 118kg wrecking ball.
According to NRL rules, a dangerous throw has been committed if a player is lifted and placed in a position where it is likely his head or neck will be the first part of his body to hit the turf.
It is likely Souths will argue the hulking forward could not avoid the result of the pile-driving tackle on Anderson because of the soaking wet conditions in Perth on Friday night.
Taylor will be sidelined until round 23 if he is unsuccessful at the judiciary but an early guilty plea will cut his suspension to four matches.
It remains to be seen whether Queenslanders will repeat the howls of indignation that accompanied Thurston's visit to the judiciary.
But match-review committee chairman Greg McCallum yesterday said he was ready to stand his ground on the tackle. "It was a unanimous decision," he said yesterday. "There's never any consideration for what kind of games are coming up."
Match-review panelists McCallum, Brad Clyde and Peter Louis handed down the severe punishment because of Taylor's poor disciplinary record. He has also been pinged for a dangerous throw and a dangerous high tackle in the previous two years.
Meninga previously admitted Taylor put Anderson in a dangerous position, but reiterated the party line that Taylor should be acquitted because NSW winger
Akuila Uate was given a grade one charge for a similar tackle before Origin I.
Taylor's manager Col Davis said he was disappointed his player could be rubbed out of such a massive occasion for a tackle that was not penalised by referees at the time.
Already facing an injury crisis in the forwards, the Rabbitohs season could be further compromised tomorrow night at the judiciary if they decide to fight the charge.
Former Queensland captain Gorden Tallis described the decision to charge Taylor as "laughable".
"Dave faces four to five weeks for a dangerous tackle, but Uate gets off? It makes our game look like a joke," he said.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-miss-origin-iii/story-e6frexv9-1226083081782
