Round 25 judiciary: Crichton banned despite controversial sin-bin escape, Murray cops weeks for Frizell hit

Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton is facing a ban of two matches for his controversial high shot on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in Friday’s win over the Warriors which was not deemed worthy of a sin bin by referee Wyatt Raymond.

Crichton made direct contact with his shoulder to the head of the dual international in the 46th minute and while the Warriors centre was forced from the field with a category-one concussion, the Canterbury captain evaded any punishment greater than a penalty and being placed on report.

“There’s a high level of mitigation involved in the tackle. And that’s why it’s just on report,” referee Wyatt Raymond told Warriors skipper Mitchell Barnett.

The match review committee disagreed with the game officials, slapping Crichton with a grade-two careless high tackle charge, meaning he will be rubbed out one match if he enters an early guilty plea or risks two if he challenges the judiciary.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster blasted the ref and the Bunker for their lack of action.

“I’m struggling to understand how a shoulder can go into Roger’s head and the Bunker’s got ages to see it and we lose Roger for the game and we’ve got to reshuffle our team,” he said.

“When it happens like that and nothing gets done to them … we’ve got to protect our players. And I just don’t see the consistency one little bit around that.

“They just need to know what they’re doing. I actually don’t think they know. The wording around what they say isn’t clear.”

Joining Crichton on the sidelines will be Cameron Murray, with the Rabbitohs star handed an identical two-match ban for his similar high shot on the Knights’ Tyson Frizell.

In the latest blow to the Rabbitohs’ nightmare season, Murray was sin-binned in Saturday night’s 36-16 loss before being charged on Sunday morning.

The Souths lock will miss two matches if he accepts an early guilty plea, or risk the ban extending into post-season Tests if he fights the charge and loses.

Initially placed on report for the hit, Murray was sin-binned when Frizell left the field for a HIA in the same stoppage.

Afterwards, Murray said he was “a little” confused by the situation, but conceded he had erred with the hit.

“It was silly from me, it was a high shot. So 50-50 (on whether you get sin-binned),” Murray said.

The hit was deemed a grade 2

Murray was sin-binned for the incident in Souths’ loss, which led to widespread debate given Crichton escaped a similar fate against the Warriors.

New Zealand duo Addin Fonua-Blake and Jazz Tevaga, Broncos forward Brendan Piakura and Eels prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard face fines of $1000-$1800 for dangerous contact charges from Friday night’s action.

The Dogs host Manly next Friday in a crucial match for each team’s finals chances.

Sea Eagles forward Haumole Olakau’atu evaded a ban from their shock loss to Wests Tigers that all but ended their top-four hopes on Thursday night.

Olakau’atu was sin-binned early in the second half of the Sea Eagles’ 34-26 loss at Leichhardt, for a shot on Tigers fullback Heath Mason.

Replays of the hit appeared to suggest the contact had been shoulder on shoulder, but referee Peter Gough deemed it worthy of a sin-bin.

The match review committee opted for a lower-end sanction on Friday, handing Olakau’atu a grade-one charge and $3000 fine with an early guilty plea.

The NSW State of Origin second-rower was one of three Manly players sin-binned in the loss, with Ethan Bullemor also marched for repeated offences.

Bench forward Corey Waddell was sin-binned late for a high shot on Solomon Alaimalo, and is facing a two-match ban for the grade-two high tackles.

Manly forward Taniela Paseka is also facing a $1000 fine for his role in the same tackle.

Tyson Frizell will miss next Sunday’s clash with the Titans after being concussed by a Murray high shot.

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