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T-Rex facing 7-10 week suspension

ByRd

First Grade
Messages
5,937
http://www.nrl.com/tony-williams-facing-10-weeks-on-sidelines/tabid/10874/newsid/66404/default.aspx

Manly and Australia have suffered a stunning blow with forward Tony Williams facing up to 10 weeks on the sidelines after he was charged with a grade 4 dangerous throw by the NRL match review committee on Tuesday.

Williams was put on report in the 9th minute of Manly’s 17-14 loss to Cronulla at Toyota Stadium for his tackle on Sharks hooker Isaac De Gois.

If the Sea Eagles enter an early guilty plea, Williams will miss seven weeks, meaning he will be ruled out of Australia’s Test match against New Zealand on April 20 at Eden Park. It will also mean Williams won’t be available for the Sea Eagles until their Round 11 clash with the Roosters at Brookvale Oval.

NSW would be able to select the 23-year-old in the opening State of Origin game at Etihad Stadium on May 23 if he takes the early plea, however he won’t have played a game leading into the clash, which will leave the Blues' selectors with a difficult decision.

The grade 4 dangerous throw charge carries a base penalty of 725 points, but Williams has two prior non-similar offences which have added a 40% loading on the dangerous throw charge.

Williams was charged in the 2011 Preliminary Final against the Broncos with a grade 2 careless high tackle on Bronco Jharal Yow Yeh and then received a one-match ban during the Four Nations tournament in England for a high tackle on England’s Ben Westwood.

If Williams and the Sea Eagles fight the charge or the grading at the NRL judiciary and lose, Williams could face 10 weeks on the sidelines, ruling him out of the opening State of Origin contest.

If the Sea Eagles are successful in downgrading the charge to a grade 3 dangerous throw, Williams would still miss five matches, meaning he would be available for Manly’s Round 9 clash against the Raiders.

It is a major blow to the Northern Beaches club, who will take on St George Illawarra on Saturday night. It is still unknown when Manly’s star pair, Glenn Stewart (finger) and centre Steve Matai (hand), will be right to return.

The Sea Eagles will have until 12pm on Wednesday to respond to the charge.
 

Wato

Juniors
Messages
1,050
Harsher then I expected but understandable.

Edit - did not see the other thread can a mod move this thanks.
 

ByRd

First Grade
Messages
5,937
Charged with a grade 4 dangerous throw. Early guilty plea will get him 7 weeks, if Manly fights and loses he will get 10 weeks.
 

Ronnie Dobbs

Coach
Messages
17,697
f**k me Tony.

You were a keeper in my Super Coach. Now you and Fensom are both out for extended periods.

You should have thought of that before you dropped a suplex on De Gois.

Seriously -why wasn't he sent off? And, this sends a very strong message, along with the Farah suspension.
 

Tommy Smith

Referee
Messages
21,344
That's outrageous. The loading system is a disgrace. To miss 1/3rd of an NRL season for that accident is a joke.

Should have been a 2-3 week suspension at most.
 

Mayor West

Juniors
Messages
209
I really don't like the way the loading is set up. So Williams has previously been charged for 2 high tackles? Why on earth should that give him 40% loading to a completely unrelated incident? 7-10 weeks is way to high considering the circumstances of the tackle. 3-4 weeks tops.
 

TimmyB

Juniors
Messages
2,332
I do not like Manly at all, and I am resentful of Williams running over the top of Farah last week, and yet even I feel for the bloke. That is an outrageously harsh penalty even taking into account it's worsened by the 40% loading. Was an ugly tackle and deserving of a stint, but 7 weeks for an early plea just doesn't fit the crime.
 
Messages
3,097
Harsh but fair - can't believe Toovey wasn't that phased by it. The loading the system the way it is means the penalty is harsh.
 

Evenflow

Bench
Messages
3,139
Things going from bad to worse for Manly but much more importantly this has put my SC team even further in the shit. Talk about conflicting emotions, i dunno whether to laugh or cry.
 

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