NRL head of football Graham Annesley has detailed the reasons Sharks centre Jesse Ramien was cleared over a tackle that has left Knights star Kalyn Ponga among a host of key players racing the clock to be fit for the finals.
Ponga suffered a shoulder injury in the tackle and joins Jahrome Hughes, Jamal Fogarty, Nicho Hynes, Jarome Luai, Joey Manu, Adam Reynolds and Pat Carrigan as injured stars whose absence could impact their team’s premiership hopes.
Newcastle officials confirmed that Ponga would miss this weekend’s match against St George Illawarra after being forced from the field late in Sunday’s win against Cronulla and he is in doubt for their opening finals match.
Manu off injured
There was criticism that no action was taken against Ramien on the field or by the match review committee for an alleged shoulder charge but Annesley showed footage at his weekly media briefing to demonstrate that the tackle was legal.
“I make the point on a pretty regular basis that players can and are injured at times in perfectly legitimate tactics and this is another one of those examples,” Annesley said.
“There was always going to be a collision there after the pass and the major point that was raised when this was reviewed in the bunker, and also by the match review committee, was that the initial point of contact was shoulder to shoulder.
There's obviously a fair amount of force in that collision because they're both running.
“Jesse Ramien actually kind of stops and Kalyn runs into him, and there's clearly some impact from that, which knocks Kalyn over.
“He falls quite heavily … but there's no shoulder to head contact, which is what we've seen in other incidents throughout the course of the year where there's been charges laid by the match review committee.”
Tackle on Ponga: Initial point of contact was shoulder to shoulder
Ponga has been diagnosed with a high-grade AC joint injury, but the Knights are hopeful he will be able to play in the finals, along with injured halfback Jackson Hastings.
The Sharks are also sweating on the fitness of Hynes, who was a late withdrawal against Newcastle due to a quad injury, while it remains unclear whether fullback Will Kennedy will return from a hamstring tear.
The Panthers have lost Luai (shoulder), while the Raiders are waiting on the results of x-rays to determine if Fogarty fractured his eye-socket in Saturday night’s loss to Brisbane.
Jarome Luai has left the field
Reynolds did not play for the Broncos after suffering a calf injury in a training mishap last week, but he is confident of being fit for the finals. However, the return of Carrigan (foot) is less certain.
The Telstra Premiership leaders can secure their first minor premiership since 2000 on Saturday night by beating Melbourne, who are expected to be without Hughes and Grant after they were injured in last weekend’s win against the Titans.
If the Broncos beat the Storm the two clubs will meet again in the opening round of finals matches, with Penrith to host the Warriors, who are monitoring injuries to captain Tohu Harris (back) and playmaker Luke Metcalf (hamstring).
Manu also suffered a hamstring injury in the Roosters defeat of Wests Tigers on Saturday night and he is in doubt for Friday night’s must win match against South Sydney, while enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is suspended.
JWH cited over two incidents in win
The Rabbitohs, who only need to win to book a place in the finals, will be without suspended fullback Latrell Mitchell and prop Tom Burgess.
North Queensland, who also need to win against the Panthers to secure a play-off berth, are without Kangaroos star Val Holmes due to suspension and second-rower Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder).
Health check: Finals contenders
Brisbane Broncos
- Pat Carrigan (foot, TBC)
- Adam Reynolds (calf, Round 27)
- Kotoni Staggs (suspended, Finals Week 1)
Canberra Raiders
- Albert Hopoate (ribs, Round 27)
- Corey Horsburgh (possible suspension)
- Jamal Fogarty (eye socket, TBC)
Cronulla Sharks
- Nicho Hynes (quad, Round 27)
- Will Kennedy (hamstring, finals)
Melbourne Storm
- Jahrome Hughes (knee, Finals Week 1)
- Harry Grant (shoulder, TBC)
- Aaron Pene (ankle, indefinite)
Newcastle Knights
- Jackson Hastings (ankle, Round 27)
- Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder, Round 27)
- Kalyn Ponga (shoulder, Finals Week 1)
North Queensland Cowboys
- Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder, TBC)
- Semi Valemei (knee, TBC)
- Valentine Holmes (suspended, finals)
Penrith Panthers
- Izack Tago (leg, Round 27)
- Jarome Luai (shoulder, finals)
South Sydney Rabbitohs
- Jed Cartwright (back, Round 27)
- Latrell Mitchell (suspension, finals)
- Thomas Burgess (suspended, finals)
Sydney Roosters
- Joey Manu (hamstring, Round 27-finals)
- Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (suspended 3-7 matches)
Warriors
- Luke Metcalf (hamstring, TBC)
- Tohu Harris (back, TBC)
- Mitch Barnett (knee, Round 27)
- Jazz Tevaga (hamstring, Round 27/finals week 1)