Star Rabbitohs enforcer Thomas Burgess will miss this weekend’s semi-final after being handed a two-game ban for his high tackle on James Tedesco.
Burgess is one of four players to be banned after the explosive elimination final between the Roosters and Rabbitohs that saw a record seven sin bins on Sunday night.
The 30-year-old was charged with a second-degree careless high tackle and will miss two games on an early guilty plea, or three if he fights the court and loses.
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Meanwhile, Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has been handed a grade two dangerous contact charge for his headbutt on Burgess, which carries a three-game ban with an early guilty plea, or four games with a fight without success
As the Roosters were knocked out of the finals, he will serve that ban next season.
Rabbitohs back Taane Milne has escaped suspension for his foul on Suaalii and was fined $1,800.
Interestingly, Suaalii was also fined $1,800 for leading with his knees when he was about to be tackled by Mark Nicholls, something he had been warned about earlier.
Three players were dismissed in the opening 20 minutes of Sunday’s game and a further four were sent off in the second half, with Roosters lock Victor Radley and South Milne winger both.
Radley was first involved in the heated game, which the Rabbitohs won 30-14, when he went after Milne in the ensuing play and was deemed to have thrown a punch.
Radley was tackling Milne, who was offloaded, but the pair got on with it after the game moved and were battling on the floor as team-mates ran in.
“Everything is happening here, the oldest rivalry doesn’t take long to heat up,” Andrew Voss told Fox League.
“Four minutes and the red, white and blue horns close with the red and green.”
Play continued after the melee faded, but minutes later Ashley Klein stopped play after receiving a word from the bunker.
Klein then called Radley and gave him his marching orders, much to the disbelief of Roosters skipper James Tedesco.
“It’s been identified that one punch and you’re in the trash,” Klein said.
The Roosters shut down Victor Radley in the matchup. Source: Getty Images
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But Fox League commentators Voss, Greg Alexander and Steve Roach weren’t convinced.
“I have to say, on my first look, I thought there was (a punch), so I thought it was a little weird that they didn’t review it,” Voss said.
“It’s a bit right-handed, does it connect?”
“That wouldn’t have dropped a worm in one fell swoop,” Roach replied.
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“It was a push. It looked like he got his elbow back, but he didn’t. How do you call that a punch? Anyway, he’s off the field for 10 minutes,” added Alexander.
“It was a punch. Unbelievable.”
The Rabbitohs scored the first try in the next set through Alex Johnston, but the Roosters crossed for two of their own with Radley off the field.
The fireworks didn’t stop there, with Souths enforcer Burgess caught in the 18th minute for consecutive high shots on James Tedesco and Matt Lodge.
Burgess was joined in the bin just a minute later by Milne, who headed a high shot over Suaallii.
Incredibly, the 11-man Rabbitohs scored the next try through superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell.
“Somehow South Sydney went for it, what a huge drive and it’s not a momentum changer,” Alexander said.
In the 50th minute, Roosters enforcer Waerea-Hargreaves was sent off for tackling Burgess to the ground in a tackle.
Radley ignited another melee when he raced Tevita Tatola to push Egan Butcher in the head as South defenders celebrated forcing a turnover.
It saw Radley and Tatola equalize in the 60th minute, before Milne also departed for the second time for a high shot over Connor Watson.
It is the first time in the NRL era that seven players have been booked in one game.
The Roosters were controversially denied the right to use their substitute after Burgess’ strike ended Tedesco’s night.
As Burgess was not covered, they were unable to activate 18th man Adam Keighran, but Roosters coach Tren Robinson would not be daunted by the issue after the game.
“I don’t think it’s for me,” Robinson said.
“I thought Ashley and the bunker handled the game like they should, we can go in different spots in different sin binnings and all that, but I feel like both times we forced their hand.”
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