Jeremiah Nanai

NRL hit Nanai with dangerous throw suspension as three Saturday charges confirmed

The match review committee have slapped Nanai with a charge for a dangerous throw.

Published by
Scott Pryde

North Queensland Cowboys star second-rower Jeremiah Nanai is staring down the barrel of a two-match suspension after being slapped with a Grade 2 dangerous throw charge by the NRL for a tackle that saw him sin binned..

The match review committee have also elected to hit Valentine Holmes with a Grade 1 shoulder charge offence, and Jed Cartwright with a Grade 1 dangerous contact offence.

Both will escape with fines, with Holmes to pay $1500 if he takes an early guilty plea, and Cartwright $750.

For all the positives Nanai has brought to the Cowboys, his judiciary charge sheet now has three offences in a rolling 12-month window, and it means even the Grade 1 dangerous throw charge comes with a suspension.

If this had been Nanai's first or second offence on his record, he could have escaped with a fine.

Ultimately, he will now need to head to the judiciary and seek a not guilty verdict if he wants to play in either of the Cowboys' next two games, which come against the Canterbury Bulldogs and Dolphins.

Should he head to the judiciary, he will risk a third game on the sidelines for the tackle, which was committed against Titans' winger Phillip Sami during the second half.

The tackle, which came on the back of points for the Titans, saw Nanai lift Sami, and twist him well above the horizontal before Sami landed on the back of his neck.

Reece Robson was also involved in the tackle, but pulled out of it before it became dangerous, leaving Nanai as the sole offender in the tackle.

Referee Chris Butler described it as a "one man tackle with a hand between the legs" before handing the international and State of Origin second-rower a trip to the dressing rooms for ten minutes.

Holmes was pinged for a shoulder charge on Aaron Schoupp, while Jed Cartwright's dangerous contact charge came from an incident shortly after halftime against Haumole Olakau'atu in a game which the Rabbitohs won in golden point.

Nanai, Holmes, Cartwright and their respective clubs have until midday tomorrow (Monday) to lodge their decision on whether to accept early guilty pleas or head to the judiciary.

Published by
Scott Pryde