After one of the most high-intensity contests of the season so far, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was left questioning how Sharks enforcer Dale Finucane avoided a penalty or charge for a disastrous collision with Stephen Crichton.

The 70th-minute incident left Crichton in urgent need of medical assistance following a violent head clash that left him with a mangled ear and no recollection of the hit itself. Images of Crichtonโ€™s brutal injury soon did the rounds on social media.

While Crichton was forced to leave the field, Finucane escaped any immediate consequence, with no penalty or charge in the aftermath.

After the game it was confirmed Crichton was being taken to hospital to see a plastic surgeon

Though Crichton recovered from the sickening blow, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was left wondering how Finucane escaped any punishment.

โ€œItโ€™s weird that thatโ€™s okay and the mildest of taps arenโ€™t. (Crichtonโ€™s) ear is awful,โ€ Cleary said in the post-match press conference.

โ€œHeโ€™s seen better days but heโ€™s in good spirits.

โ€œIโ€™m sure the last thing Dale Finucane wanted to do was injure him.

โ€œHistorically, head clashes have been a head clash. But how easy is it to give a high tackle penalty away now? It looked bad. (Crichton) is not in a great way.

โ€œThereโ€™s an argument there for careless (tackle). I thought weโ€™d at least get a penalty.โ€

Cleary also revealed that Crichton was taken to hospital after the game to see a plastic surgeon, while still displaying heavy symptoms of concussion.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon admitted that while the incident didnโ€™t look good, there was certainly no malice involved.

โ€œ(He hit him) straight in the face with his head and his arms flung up after,โ€ Fitzgibbon said post-game, in response to suggestions a swinging arm may have been involved.

โ€œIt was a pretty big head clash from what I saw. His arms came up spectacularly after, but I thought it was pretty flush contact with the head for me.โ€