Wests Tigers centre Justin Olam has been hit with a lengthy suspension by the Match Review Committee (MRC) after being sent off in the club's match against the North Queensland Cowboys on Thursday night.
The MRC has confirmed that Olam has been charged with a Grade 3 Careless High Tackle and faces a four-week suspension. If he accepts an early guilty plea, it will be downgraded to three matches.
Sent off in the 50th minute for a high tackle on Cowboys back-rower Heilum Luki, the controversial incident gained a mixed reception from both coaches and former players.
“I have a group of guys in there who are feeling pretty down about it, and the easy thing for me to do would be to come out and say that it was a bad decision and that he got it wrong," Marshall said.
"A sin bin probably would have sufficed, and we've seen plenty of them this season, but I'm not going to say that."
However, opposing coach Todd Payten believed the referee made the correct call indicating that Luki was lucky to not walk away with "a broken jaw".
“Heilum's ok but he's fortunate he doesn't have a broken jaw,” Payten said.
“Heilum's a big body and I don't think Justin's that big, so I thought it was the right call.
“I just don't know how the referees missed it right at that very moment. It had to be referred to by the Bunker and there was a touchie right there and the referee called play on. Thought it was the right call in the end.”